Monday. Yeah...you know. That day. Why does Monday get such a bad rap? Probably because it's not Saturday or Sunday!!! We work, work, work so hard for 5 days and then we get a little relief over the weekend, then !!BAM!! it's Monday all over again. One of my goals in 2015 is to make Mondays much more tolerable and not so rooted in the clichéd "Ohhhh God, it's Monday."
But you know what makes Monday just a little bit better???! Chocolate chip & raspberry banana bread! Yes, you read that right! Mmmmm.....so delicious! Now, I can't take credit for this recipe. It's from Sally's Baking Addiction and I think it will be a new addiction in my life now. The ingredients are perfect together. Toast up a piece in the morning with a little spread of butter and your coffee....nothing tastes better on these now cold Autumn mornings. Enjoy!!
Recipe via Sally's Baking Addiction:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature preferred
- 1/3 cup (80g) Greek yogurt*
- 2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 large very ripe bananas)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup (135g) dark chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
- 1 cup (150g) halved raspberries, tossed in 1 Tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour to prevent sinking*
Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Lightly spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Using a hand-held or stand mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed, about 3 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the yogurt, mashed bananas and vanilla on medium speed for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the mixer if using a stand mixer. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together until combined. Using a large spoon or rubber spatula, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Slowly stir everything together until no more flour pockets remain. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the raspberries and chocolate chips.
Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan - sprinkle with a few additional chocolate chips if desired. Bake for 60-65 minutes, loosely covering the bread with aluminum foil at the 30 minute mark. This will prevent the top and sides from getting too brown. A toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf will come out clean when the bread is done. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing.
Banana bread tastes best on day 2 after the flavors have settled together. Unfrosted banana bread freezes well, up to 2 months.
*Either Greek or regular (non-Greek) yogurt are fine. Plain, vanilla, or honey flavored preferred. Low-fat or non-fat are OK.
*I prefer using fresh raspberries because I find using frozen tints the banana bread pink, no matter how gently you fold them in. The bread also takes longer to bake when using frozen berries due to their added moisture.
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