Chocolate Layered Banana Bread
Since I haven’t already, I’d like to welcome everyone to February… and all the low temps, snow, and heavy jackets that come with it! As a write this I’m wearing slippers, a wool sweater, and staring out the window at the several feet of snow lining the ground. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not my favorite type of weather, but I’ve learned the make the best of what I’ve got.
What does that mean? Why, lots and lots of warm and delicious food!
Today’s recipe is part of this month’s Recipe ReDux, and it’s seriously one of the best yet. I haven’t been baking in a while, so I was a little worried I’d be rusty, but I managed to hit this banana bread out of the park with one go.
The theme this month was chocolate combinations, and I kept it simple with the always delicious chocolate and banana. This bread consists of one layer of classic banana bread- sweet and soft and somehow also low fat- and then a top layer with melted chocolate swirled in. The melted chocolate adds a bit of decadence and a ton of chocolate flavor, but the recipe is still totally breakfast eligible. Pair it with a steaming cup of coffee on a chilly morning, and you’ll almost forget the single digit temperature. And if not, hey, at lest your stomach’s happy!
Chocolate Layered Banana Bread
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups banana, mashed (measure after mashing)
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup or agave)
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil)
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 cups spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips/chunks, melted
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix together bananas, milk, honey, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Set aside.
- In another larger bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and powder, and salt.
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix into a smooth (but thick) batter.
- Take out another large bowl. Scoop roughly half of the mixed batter into the empty bowl. Add the melted chocolate to the batter in one bowl, and stir until completely incorporated. You should now have one bowl of plain batter, and another with chocolate batter.
- Scoop the plain batter into the bottom of the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Scoop the chocolate batter on top and do the same. Take a knife and run through the batter a couple times, making sure that it will bake together and not in two pieces.
- Bake for 30 minutes, cover with aluminum foil, and then bake another twenty. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Allow to cool, and then slice and serve. Bread can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.
