SWEET THINGS
Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
Super moist banana bread with milk chocolate chunks and a soft, tender crumb.
EASY
1 HOUR
SERVES 8
ABOUT THE RECIPE
Banana bread is already good, but chocolate chunks and a swipe of Nutella do make a strong case for taking it further. Very ripe bananas and sour cream keep the loaf soft and moist, while the milk chocolate melts into little pockets. Best lightly toasted, while the edges are still crisp.
THE RECIPE
Ingredients
3 very ripe bananas
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sour cream
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp coffee powder
¼ tsp salt
135 g milk chocolate block, chopped into chunks
2 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped
Method
1.
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a loaf pan and line with baking paper, allowing a little overhang for easy removal.
2.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well combined and glossy.
3.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, coffee powder, and salt. Whisk to evenly distribute.
4.
Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold until just incorporated. The batter should look thick and soft. Avoid overmixing.
5.
Fold through the chocolate chunks until evenly dispersed.
6.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts evenly over the surface.
7.
Bake on the center rack for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
8.
Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
SAMANTHA'S NOTES
Use ripe bananas
Use frozen bananas
Rotate if needed
Frozen bananas are perfect for banana bread. Thaw them completely, drain off any excess liquid, then mash before adding to the batter.
If your oven has hot spots, rotate the loaf pan halfway through baking. It helps the banana bread rise evenly and stops one side browning too quickly.
Heavily speckled or mostly brown bananas give the best flavour, sweetness and moisture. Yellow bananas will work, but the loaf will be less rich.
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