Banana - Chocolate Chip Bread (with Walnuts)

The Why:

B. has been getting banana chocolate chip muffins at Paradise Bakery, and he wanted me to make some so he could stop paying $12 a piece.  (Okay, that's an exaggeration, but not by much!)  And I have fond memories of having banana nut bread during the holidays when I was a kid, so this seemed the time for me to experiment.

I don't have any muffin pans (okay, well I do -- somewhere -- but I'm pretty sure they're in one of those boxes in the garage that I've been avoiding dealing with).  Besides, my personal banana nut bread memories always involved the banana bread as a loaf.  And as I'm the one doing the baking, my preference on the form trumps Brian's request for "muffins."  He certainly wasn't complaining between bites after I sliced him off a hunk of his loaf.

I've never made it from scratch, before, and even I was impressed with how well this turned out.  Fresh out of the oven, with just a bit of a cooling off period -- wow!  It was the perfect comforting treat for a chilly afternoon.

This recipe makes two loaves.  I like walnuts in my banana bread, and B. can't stand them.  So we each get our own loaf.  I have a feeling mine will last a little longer.  But not by much!

Now, on to the good stuff!

The How:

Banana Nut Bread with Chocolate Chips (and optional Walnuts)

3 eggs

2 C. sugar

3 t. pure vanilla extract (I like Mexican vanilla)

½ C. avocado oil

½ C. melted butter

1 C. buttermilk

1.5 t. salt

1.5 t. baking soda

3 C. all purpose flour

2 C. mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 bananas)

1.5 to 2 C. (about one 12 oz. bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ C. walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

 

Spray two large (9 inch) loaf pans with non-stick spray.  Line each pan with parchment paper.  

 

Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, oil, melted butter, buttermilk, and bananas in a stand mixer or with a hand-held electric mixer until mixed well.  Add salt, baking soda, and flour, and mix until combined.  Don't overheat.  Add the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using, and mix to distribute.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes lightly covered with foil.  Remove foil and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.