Chocolate Banana Bread

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  When life gives you ripe bananas, make banana bread.  When you want to kick up banana bread, add chocolate.  Chocolate Banana Bread is both savory and slightly sweet, yet hardy and satisfying – a perfect bite of baked goodness.

I purchase bananas with the intention to eat one each day along with my Greek yogurt which I take to the office each day.  However, there are some weeks where blueberries rule the roost and the lonely banana sits in the basket on the counter wondering why he didn’t go to work with me that morning.  Then the weekend rolls around and 3 or 4 bananas are at the stage of perfection for making banana bread.

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A couple weeks ago that was the scenario.  Growing up my Mom would make her special banana bread every few months and it was always a treat.  Since life a few weeks ago brought me ripe bananas, I wanted to use her recipe but push it up a level by incorporating chocolate.  Sometimes I enjoy breads with nuts but for this one, I opted to leave them out and keep it to a pure chocolate and banana flavored quick bread.

The result was pure chocolate and banana heaven.  No butter required just pure decadence.  A rich, hot cup of coffee accompanied my slice of chocolate banana bread that simply cooled for ten minutes.  A great way to launch the weekend off right!

Chocolate Banana Bread

½ Cup Butter, softened

¾ Cup Sugar

2 t. Baking Powder

¼ t. Baking Soda

¾ t. Salt

2 Eggs

3 Ripe Bananas, mashed

¼ Cup Cocoa Powder

¼ Cup Milk

1 t. Grated Orange Peel
2 Cups Flour

In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, milk and bananas and mix well.  Next add the orange peel, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder and mix until combined.  Slowly add the flour until combined.

Use a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and transfer the mixture to it.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 to 12 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack.