Tutorial Tuesday: Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Last week, I bought a big bag of bananas at the grocery store that was labeled "ready for cooking or eating." The regular bananas on the shelf happened to be a glowing shade of neon green, so I went for the slightly brownish "ready to eat" variety. The bag was only $1.00, but had double the amount of bananas we usually eat in a week. So, I was off in search of recipes to use up the stash! I found a great recipe for banana bread with chocolate chips at Sugar Law's blog and decided to whip up a loaf, with a few modifications (both by choice and accident...).  I have made this 3 times.  The first 2 times, I thought it was the best thing ever.  I ate it for every meal until it was gone.  It was like a dessert bread.  The third time, I noticed the batter looked different when I was making it.  It filled the pan more and was harder to stir.  When the bread finished baking and I tasted it, it was much dryer and chewier.  I checked the recipe and realized that had followed it exactly--this time.  The first 2 times, however, I had HALVED the amount of flour the recipe called for!!  That's right, I only used 1 cup instead of the 2 it called for.  And it was SO much better!  If you have ever made Amish friendship bread, it was reminiscent of that texture.  So, my recipe below is the modified version, using 1 cup of flour total instead of 2.  If you'd rather a more traditional, chewy bread, up the flour to 1 cup white and 1 cup whole wheat.  I also substituted yogurt for half the oil in the original recipe.  If you don't have yogurt on hand, just use 1/2 c. canola oil instead.  

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

adapted from the recipe at Sugar Law's

Ingredients

2 large over-ripe bananas

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/3 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c. white flour

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. canola oil

1/4 c. vanilla or plain yogurt

1/2 c. mini semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1.  Cream together bananas, brown sugar, and white sugar using the paddle attachment on the mixer.

2.  In a separate bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder and salt.

3.  Add the eggs, oil, and yogurt to the banana mixture and blend together.

4.  Slowly add the flour mix to the banana mix and blend until just moistened.

5.  Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

6.  Pour batter into 1.5 lb. bread loaf pan prepared with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (you may have some melted chocolate on the toothpick, but you should not have any batter).

For more Tutorial Tuesday fun, be sure to stop over at Monkey's on the Bed!