Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

How do you like your banana bread? I’ve made one or two banana bread loaves in my time. What started out as a fun activity, a little baking with my girl, has turned into a quest to make the best banana bread. Every loaf has been critically judged by my banana bread loving girl. In the early days, we mostly made your basic banana bread, easy enough to make with a five year old and good enough for a 5 year old’s taste buds. Then we wanted more from our lovely loaves, so we made a chocolate version, this was good but didn’t stand the test of time. And then we made this one, a banana bread with chocolate chips and walnuts. This bread has become a firm family favourite, a real treat, the best banana bread ever! Not my words, so high praise indeed.

This banana bread has just the right amount of chocolate, enough to satisfy any chocolate lover’s cravings but not so much that it overpowers the banana, this is a banana bread after all. It has just the right amount of nuttiness too, with walnuts added for good measure, to give a little texture and bite to your loaf. I’ve added a sliced banana on top of this loaf, when baked it turns into a beautiful caramelised extra treat, this is optional but highly recommended. The crust of this banana bread with chocolate chips is crispy and crunchy perfection, with a hint of cinnamon, the centre of this loaf is beautifully moist. I think we may have made our perfect loaf, at last.

I know I’m not reinventing the wheel with this recipe, I do believe every family has their own perfect version of banana bread. This is ours. I have tested this recipe many times and have experimented with different sugars and indeed different quantities of sugar. Soft, light brown sugar always wins, as does the lesser quantity of 100g. Two medium to large very ripe bananas is also the perfect combination. We’re not keen on a banana bread with too much cinnamon or vanilla, so one teaspoon of each works for us, if you prefer more cinnamon or vanilla then go ahead and add one more teaspoon. This banana bread with chocolate chips and walnuts should keep for at least 3 days, none of mine has graced my kitchen long enough.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

A deliciously moist banana bread with milk chocolate chips, walnuts and a hint of cinnamon.

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Course: Cake

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 250

Author: Michelle Alston

Ingredients

• 125 g (1/2 a cup) salted butter, softened plus more for greasing the loaf tin
• 100 g (1/2 a cup) light soft brown sugar
• 2 L free range eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large ripe bananas mashed
• 1 small banana sliced in half lengthways (optional) for decoration
• 140 g (1 cup) self raising flour
• 1 level tsp baking powder
• 1 level tsp cinamon
• 100 g (just over 1/2 a cup) milk chocolate chips
• 50 g (just over 3/8 of a cup ) walnuts chopped

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C 356 F, I use a fan assisted electric oven, please adjust according to your own oven.

  Grease a 2 lb loaf tin with butter and line with parchment paper.
• Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until you have a light fluffy mixture.

  In a small bowl beat the eggs and vanilla together.

  Start by adding a small amount of the egg to the the butter mixture, beating all the time with the wooden spoon. Then gradually add the remaining eggs. You should have a loose batter.
• Sift in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Fold in the flour until it is all incorporated.

  Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Then pour the batter into the prepared tin. 
• Place the tin on the middle shelf in the oven and bake for 50 - 60 minutes. The bread is done when you pierce it with a metal skewer and it comes out clean.

  Leave the loaf to cool in the tin for a little while then remove from the tin and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Enjoy warm or cold. Keep the loaf wrapped in tin foil and in your bread bin for 2 to 3 days.

Notes

• Calories are per slice and are approximate. Cup measurements are approximate, I use a Metric scale to measure all ingredients.
• Try dark chocolate chunks for a richer chocolately taste. 
• Don't like walnuts, try pecans or hazelnuts.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal

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 More Chocolate Treats:

•  Chocolate Banana Bread
•  Black Cherry Chocolate Brownies
•  Dark Chocolate Date & Hazelnut Truffles
• Chocolate Covered Stuffed Dates
• Strawberry and Pistachio Chocolate Bark

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