Accounting for Taste

Do you ever end up with several overripe bananas? I prefer mine on the slightly greener side (I find the texture and taste off-putting as they ripen), but don’t throw them into the compost pile just yet. Give yourself some love, and make this Dark Chocolate Chip Banana Bread instead—then toss the skins into the compost pile 😉

You could use semi-sweet chips, but the dark provide more antioxidants making the treat a bit more heart-healthy. When preparing, don’t over mix because it could cause the finished bread to be dry instead of resulting in a soft interior with a slightly crisp crust.

It’s like a bite of Heaven when you cut off a slice while it’s still slightly warm. Once it has cooled down however, you can always heat a slice in the microwave for about 1 minute then add a schmear of butter or honey. It’s a perfect treat for your family, a brunch, or even gifting.

Dark Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Servings: 1 loaf
Time: 1 hr, 45 Min.
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1 stick, (8 Tbsp)) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
3 very ripe bananas
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.
Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a small bowl, mash the bananas, milk and cinnamon with a fork.
Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, mixing until flour disappears—don’t overmix.
Fold in dark chocolate chips, reserving some to sprinkle on top of batter.
Pour batter into prepared pan, add chips for topping, and bake 60-70 minutes, (check after one hour) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.
Spread slices with schmear of butter or honey.
Once cooled completely, wrap tightly in foil. The covered loaf can sit out at room temperature for a few days, after that, refrigerate it.