Sweet Treats
Chocolate chip banana bread… it sounds as good as it tastes. This easy to bake loaf tin recipe is perfect for any occasion. Whip it together in no time and enjoy the chocolatey smells wafting through your kitchen. The light banana sponge combined with the sweetness of the dark chocolate is a delicious addition to any day. Top this loaf cake with vanilla ice cream for a summer dessert or just add some chopped bananas on top and call it breakfast!
Ingredients
-260g plain flour;
-1.5 teaspoons baking powder;
-1.5 teaspoons baking soda;
-Four ripe bananas;
-Two tablespoons milk;
-Two or three teaspoons of cinnamon, depending on preference;
-140g butter;
-200g caster sugar;
-Two medium eggs;
-200g good quality dark chocolate;
-One teaspoon brown sugar;
-One teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Method
Preheat your oven to 180° fan / 200° / gas mark 7. Grease and line two loaf tins.
In a clean, dry bowl, sieve together your flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add a pinch of salt and mix to combine. Set this aside. In another bowl, mash your four ripe bananas, using a wooden spoon, add the milk and vanilla extract, mixing through to create a liquid batter.
To this, you can add your cinnamon. Although, if you don’t like the taste of cinnamon, you can leave this out entirely. To a third bowl, add your softened butter and sugar. Beat together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add your eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each.
Pour the banana mixture into this butter mixture. Using a large wooden spoon, mix to thoroughly combine. Continue to stir this as you add in the flour little by little. This will form a cake batter that is easy to pour. Chop your dark chocolate into pieces. You can judge the size of these yourself. Lightly roll the chocolate pieces in a small amount of flour before folding through the batter. The flour will help prevent the chocolate chunks from sinking during baking.
Distribute the batter equally between both loaf tins. Sprinkle some brown sugar on top of your batter for a crunchy crust. Place in your oven for around 40-45 minutes, or until you can stick a skewer through the middle and it comes out clean.
Once your banana bread is done baking, take the cakes out of the tins and leave on a wire tray to cool. Or, dig in straight away while the chocolate is still lovely and melted.