Chocolate Banana Nut Bread

By darhittel

Take on traditional banana bread but much more like a chocolate cake. It will be slightly gooey in the middle, which is good. Serve a slice topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
• 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 2 t. baking powder
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or whole milk)
• 1 t/ vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup pecans (or almonds) toasted and chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a standard loaf pan. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl (or blender), mix the bananas, buttermilk and vanilla, breaking down the bananas as much as possible. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy, then add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat the banana and flour mixtures alternately into the butter mixture in two additions each. Stir in the nuts and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for one hour, then remove from the oven and allow the loaf to cool on a rack for five minutes. Turn the loaf onto a rack and allow it to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cram or vanilla ice cream.