Classic Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

When it comes to Quick Breads, there is none that can come close to a classic Banana Bread recipe. This is one recipe that has evolved a lot over time, maybe because Bananas pair well with several other ingredients like Nuts, Coconut, Carrots, Apples, or in this case Chocolate Chips! If you are someone who likes a slice of moist and flavorful quick bread, which tastes like a cake, but is not overly sweet, then this recipe is perfect for you. It can be served by itself with some tea or coffee; I bet kids would love a slice too with some peanut butter or Nutella spread slathered onto it!

Coming from the Fine Cooking kitchens [photo by Scott Phillips], this tender Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is loaded with the goodness of ripe bananas, and you throw in some delicious dark semi-sweet chocolate chips for that melt-in-your-mouth feel. But the secret of the texture lies in the addition of Buttermilk – if you’ve read my post about Strawberry Buttermilk Cake, you’ll know why Buttermilk Cakes are far more superior in terms of moistness than simple butter cakes. They also stay softer for a longer period of time, if you plan to make them ahead.

Sweet & Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Ingredients
4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter – at room temp.
10-1/2 oz. (2-1/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. table salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe banana (2 large or 3 medium bananas)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour four mini loaf pans, or one 9×5-inch metal loaf pan.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients well to combine.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a medium mixing bowl, mix the butter on low speed with the stand mixer’s paddle attachment or on medium-low speed with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and continue mixing on low speed until slightly fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until smooth between each addition. Add the bananas, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix until blended.

Stop the mixer and add half the flour mixture. Mix on low speed (for either mixer) until the flour drifts are almost gone. Add half the buttermilk. Mix until blended, and then repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk. Continue mixing until smooth, scraping the bowl to make sure the batter is even. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

If using mini loaf pans, divide the batter evenly among the four pans (the pans should be about two-thirds full). For a full-size loaf pan, spread the batter in the pan (again, filling the pan no more than two-thirds full.) Smooth the top of the batter. Bake until the loaves are golden and a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes for mini loaves (60 to 70 minutes for a full-size loaf pan).

Let the loaves cool in the pans on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes to give them time to set and then turn them out onto a rack and flip right side up to cool completely.

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