Celebrate National Banana Bread Day!

We all have had our fill of banana bread in the pandemic but today is the day to celebrate.  To celebrate National Banana Bread Day, our Creative Director shares his Chocolate Banana Bread recipe.

NOW BAKE!

GATHER

3 large ripe bananas (easily mashable) plus one to keep whole

1/3 cup melted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar (packed, light or dark)

1 teaspoon salt (1/2 a teaspoon if using salted butter)

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

MAKE

Prepare pan and preheat oven: Butter or spray with cooking spray the inside of a 5x9-inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle.

Purée or just mash bananas until smooth:  You should have 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of banana purée.

Mix wet ingredients and sugar:

Place the banana purée into a large mixing bowl. Stir the melted butter. Stir in the brown sugar and salt. Whisk to break up any clumps of brown sugar. Stir in the beaten egg and vanilla extract.

Mix dry ingredients:

In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and allspice.

Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture: Stir until just incorporated, then stir in the chocolate chips.

Bake:

Pour batter into a buttered loaf pan. Slice remaining banana lengthwise into 3 equally thick planks and place on top of cake, cut sides up. Sprinkle batter, as well as bananas, with brown sugar.

Place in a 350°F oven and bake for 1 hour.

Note that because of the chocolate chips will melt in the bread as it cooks, it will be harder to check for doneness using a tester that you insert.

Make sure it bounces back when poked with your finger.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan.

Gently remove the loaf from the pan and place on a rack to cool completely.