Chocolate Banana Bread

Originally, I made this as a loaf of bread. I love sweet loaves. But recently, I made the muffin version and got some prettier pictures! 

(original photo of chocolate banana loaf. Chocolate bread is so hard to photograph)

I know when you think summer fruit you're not like, "Hey bananas." But we've always got a bunch hanging there in the kitchen getting spotty way faster than in the winter and needing to be used just as desperately as any bowl of berries. We also have a few more pleasant sleepy-in mornings than we do during the school year (thank goodness). These mornings and a batch of old bananas are the perfect summer combination.

This week we made these into a bread. They can become muffins even easier (think 20 minutes instead of 60).

Chocolate Banana Bread

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Makes on loaf pan or about 12 muffins

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 60 minutes (for loaf)

Cost: $2.45 (or about $.20/serving)

bananas: .40, butter: .50, sugar: .10, egg: .10, flour: .10, cocoa: .30, chocolate chips: .80, other stuff: .15

3 medium over ripe bananas

1/2 C butter, melted

3/4 C granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 C flour (I used 1/4 whole wheat and 3/4 all-purpose)

1/2 C cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 C chocolate chips

Heat your oven to 350 and spray a loaf pan generously. 

Mash bananas in a bowl. Add melted butter, granulated sugar. Mix. Add egg and vanilla. Mix. Add dry ingredients (sure, you're supposed to pre-mix these, but I never do; I just throw them in--be sure your cocoa isn't super clumpy though). 

Pour into pan and bake for 55-65 minutes (I use the 7x5 loaf pan rather than the larger size and it is on the long end. If you use a bigger one, you'll probably be on the shorter end time-wise). When a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs attached, you're done. 

Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes and turn out. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE