Chocolate-marbled banana bread
We all seem to have that one renegade banana sitting on the counter turning a spotted brown color. Why is it that no one can commit to eating the last one? I peel the overripe bananas and drop them into a baggy, then drop into the freezer. Just pull them out when you need them. I’ve found that they unthaw within a few minutes and are ready for action at a moments notice.
Kevin from Closet Cooking posted the other day a chocolate chip and sour cream banana bread recipe and it started my banana bread craving. It reminded me that on my counter was a browning banana just waiting for some attention. While thumbing through some older cookbooks yesterday, I came across a chocolate-marbled banana bread. It seemed as though the universe was trying to tell me that I should get to work on making some bread! I’ve never made banana bread with chocolate but love the classic combination of chocolate and bananas.
The recipe is a somewhat healthier version, so this will be perfect for folks cutting their calories. The bread turned out very moist and super delicious. I didn’t realize just how much I would enjoy the chocolate swirl, it’s addictive.
Chocolate-Marbled Banana Bread
from The Best of Cooking Light 5
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 eggs)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350. Measure the flour by spooning into the measuring cups. Place flour, salt, and baking soda into a bowl and stir to combine.
Place sugar and butter into a large mixing bowl and mix to combine, about 1 minute. Add egg, yogurt, and banana. Mix to blend, then add flour mixture. Blend until moist and fully combined.
Melt chocolate chips in a microwave or over low heat until just melted. Allow to cool slightly. Add 1 cup of the batter to the chocolate and stir until blended.
Grease a bread pan and alternate layers of chocolate and plain batter. Using a knife, run it through the batter to create the swirl.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the bread tests done. Mine took 1 hour and 5 minutes.
I made two slight substitutions in the recipe. Although I had yogurt on hand, I did not have plain yogurt. I opted for a black cherry yogurt and it worked fine. The flavor did not carry through into the final product. Also, I used real eggs instead of egg substitute.
I’m in heaven. The bread is moist and rich. It’s hard not to eat slice after slice. Actually, I’m trying to resist eating a piece right now, waiting instead until my coffee is done brewing. What a wonderful way to start off the week :-)
kat on 18 Mar 2008 at 9:43 am #
that sounds fabulous…hmm wonder if i have any of those last bananas in the freezer waiting to be used.
Patricia Scarpin on 18 Mar 2008 at 12:37 pm #
It does look moist and delicious, Allen!
I really like the banana and chocolate combo.
Erin on 18 Mar 2008 at 1:44 pm #
So how “light” is it if I eat that whole loaf Allen? :P
Allen on 18 Mar 2008 at 1:54 pm #
kat: run (don’t walk) to your freezer and count your bananas!
patricia: Thank you!
erin: Hmm, yeah you shouldn’t try this now that you’re on the big ‘D’ :-) It’s taking all of my will power not to eat it all in one sitting!
Peter G on 18 Mar 2008 at 3:47 pm #
“the last renegade banana”… so true! Fantastic matching of the chocolate with bananas Allen.
Kevin on 18 Mar 2008 at 7:32 pm #
That banana bread looks really good! Great chocolate swirl!
Katie B. on 18 Mar 2008 at 8:21 pm #
And here I’d just left my kitchen wondering what I was going to do with my brown bananas! Banana chocolate bread is brilliant!
Jen on 18 Mar 2008 at 9:09 pm #
This looks so good. Normally I think banana breads are too heavy and sweet but this one seems like it would be a lot lighter… and I’m definitely not one to resist a chocolate swirl.
Ben on 18 Mar 2008 at 9:33 pm #
Hey Allen, that is a good-looking banana bread. I know what I am making this weekend with my ripening bananas.
Rachel on 18 Mar 2008 at 9:53 pm #
That sounds delicious. I love making banana bread and this sounds like an awesome twist.
Ummm… can I say something without sounding like a shrew? You made me grin (as do others) when you said they ‘unthaw’.. umm… thaw, don’t you mean? ‘unthaw’ would mean freeze :-) Sorry, minor idiosyncrasy of mine :-)
Love your blog. I am so going to return and give you a thumbs up on Stumbleupon!!!
Allen on 18 Mar 2008 at 10:23 pm #
Peter G: Some days, I am the renegade, today it was the banana’s turn :-)
Kevin: Thanks!
Katie: Now your bananas have a purpose — get to baking :-)
Jen: It is nice and light, the chocolate just makes it a knock out.
Ben: Thank you!
Rachel: LOL, you gave me a good grin as well :-) You’ve totally made me question my backwoods upbringing — I have *never* thought about the word ‘unthaw’ before but you’re right, it makes no sense. You should be happy that you’re not hearing me speak in person … I’ve been told that I have a very Midwestern/regional pronunciation of words (I add alot of R’s to words). Thank you for stumbling me (every time a post is stumbled, an angel gets its wings) :-)
kellypea on 19 Mar 2008 at 1:09 am #
Heck. I’ve got about 8 mini renegade bananas I picked up at the Asian market and need to bake something yummy like this. And the black cherry yogurt sounds like a great substitution!
Coffee & Vanilla on 19 Mar 2008 at 3:57 am #
Sounds delicious! Bookmarked to try later :)
Thank you for sharing, Margot
Geggie on 19 Mar 2008 at 9:01 am #
I love banana bread and I’ve never baked it. I’ve had the intention with the frozen banana and all and then I forget and clean the freezer. I do have two brown bananas in the fruit bowl now. Wonder if I could sub applesauce for yogurt as I don’t have any. Maybe I’ll try it.
Christine on 19 Mar 2008 at 11:26 am #
Chocolate banana bread sounds fabulous! Going to have to give it a try!
Rachel on 19 Mar 2008 at 3:29 pm #
I’m so glad you weren’t offended! :-)
I’ll hold your midwestern accent up against my Texas Twang :-) LOL.
Katie B. on 28 Mar 2008 at 7:35 am #
Me again - I made this last night to bring to work today… and it’s already gone! Fantastic recipe - thanks for sharing!!
Min on 28 Mar 2008 at 10:44 am #
I made some!
Here’s the scoop:
http://bad-girls-kitchen.blogspot.
com/2008/03/chocolate-marbled-banana
-bread.html
(You might have to cut and paste the address in a couple steps, I didn’t want it to get cut off in the comments!)
And incidentally, I posted about bad bananas in January! It’s a great tip that people sometimes forget.
Anonymous on 04 Apr 2008 at 11:53 pm #
I bookmarked this recipe (via tastespotting) a few weeks ago, and I’ve already made the recipe three times–my friends love it! Thanks– this is delicious!
Allen on 05 Apr 2008 at 9:40 am #
Holy crap — you’ve already made it three times?! That’s great - so glad you and your friends enjoyed it!
Shauna on 06 Jun 2008 at 8:27 am #
You should enter it in this banana bread contest:
http://thenewstayathomemom.com/moist-banana-bread-recipe-contest
The prize is a $50 Sur La Table giftcard. There aren’t very many people that have entered the contest either, so it would be pretty easy to win!
I could do the wrong thing, and enter it myself, but that would be bad karma!!! :)