Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 medium bananas, divided
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 - 1 cup mini or regular chocolate chips

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. then lightly flour.  Set aside.
• In a medium bowl mash 2 of the bananas with a fork, leaving them slightly lumpy. Slice the remaining banana thinly, and set aside.
• In a large bowl stir together the butter and sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla and stir until smooth. Add the sour cream, mashed bananas, baking soda, and salt, and stir until blended. Next mix in the flour until incorporated.
• Fold in the chocolate chips, and sliced banana.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 73 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean except for melted chocolate chips of course.
• Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, and then using the parchment paper as handles, carefully lift the banana bread out of the pan to cool on a wire rack.

Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

This was my first try with one of the cakes in a new book I got for my birthday. "All Cakes Considered" a very cool book. My families first response to my choice was Banana's and Chocolate, yuk. They have since tasting it changed their minds completely. I am very impressed with the details of the recipes, and I have to say this is my best scratch cake yet. By the way in the picture I cheated and used some already prepared frosting I had with chocolate chips in it.

You'll need

10-inch tube pan

For the Cake

2/3 cup shortening (I used butter)

1 2/3 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups ripe bananas, mashed (3 bananas)

1/3 cup butter milk (or 1/3 cup whole milk with 1 tsp lemon juice)

2 large eggs

2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the Frosting

two 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup cream or sweetened condensed milk

To make the cake

1. Center a rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the pan.
2. With the mixer on medium speed, cream the shortening, then gradually add the sugar, mixing well.
3. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the cake flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt together. Add to the creamed mixture, beating until blended.
4. Add the mashed bananas and half the buttermilk and mix just until moistened, then increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes more.
5. Add the rest of the buttermilk and the eggs, and beat for 2 more minutes.
6. If you're going for the walnuts. add them to the batter and mix on low speed until just blended.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the cake tests done.
8. Cool for 10 minutes, then unmold onto a cake rack and cool completely.
9. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl fitted into a saucepan with simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. allow to cool.
10. With the mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, then gradually add half of the confectioners' sugar, blending well. Beat in 2 tablespoons of cream. Beat in the remaining sugar and cream and set aside.
11. Add the melted chocolate to the creamed mixture and beat until smooth. allow to cool slightly, then spread on the cooled cake.

Banana Muffins

This is my families favorite muffin recipe but its the topping they are so fond of not so much the muffin.

Yeild : 10 Muffins

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour
4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter

Muffins

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups (3 medium) mashed ripe bananas
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup pecans (Optional)

Instructions
1) Prepare struesel: Combine sugar an four until blended. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or a fork.

2) Beat sugar, oil and eggs until light colored and foamy with a whisk or an electric mixer. Add mashed banana and beat well. The banana will be incorporated but have a few chunks.

3) In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add pecans (if you wish). Add to banana mixture and stir with a large spatula until just moistened DO NOT OVER MIX.

4) Spoon into greased muffin cups, level with top of pan. Here you can add 1/2 teaspoon of jelly/jam or chocolate chips (another option I have toyed with). Place 1 tablespoon of streusel on each. Place in preheated 375 oven for 25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean and tops are dry and springy to the touch. Cool in muffin tin about 5-10 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Walnut Banana Bread

This banana nut bread recipe is a great way to use overripe bananas.

Preparation time: 15 min Baking time: 1 hrs

Yield: 16 servings (1/2 inch servings)

3/4		cup sugar 1/2 cup butter
2		eggs
2		medium (1 cup) bananas, mashed
1/2		teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2		cups all-purpose flour
1		cup chopped walnuts
1/2		teaspoon baking soda
1/2		teaspoon salt
1/4		teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine sugar, butter and eggs in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add banana and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Stir in all remaining ingredients by hand.

Spoon batter into greased and floured 8x4-inch loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely.

Recipe Tip
Banana bread is best the second day. Wrap cooled bread tightly in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Recipe Tip
Walnuts can be omitted.

Recipe Tip
Use no-stick cooking spray that contains flour to easily coat loaf pan.

Nutrition Facts (1 serving): Calories: 200, Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 180mg, Carbohydrates: 23g, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Protein: 4g, Weight Watchers points 5
Thank you Land O Lakes

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