Christmas Countdown: Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

This Banana Chocolate Chip Bread recipe is my eldest daughter’s favorite. I usually give her a loaf of this along with a container of Russian Tea Mix ( you know, the kind with orange, clove, red hots, and tea?) and she is blissfully happy. Always a good thing.

It is a particularly moist and delicious bread, and unusual enough to make a gift that is different from what other people are doing. I swear one year I am going to try it with macadamias and white chocolate chips but so far I haven’t done so.

If you are giving it as a gift then make it in mini loaves and wrap in colored cellophane. Nestle several in a basket and add some coffee or tea. Toss in some Hershey’s Kisses and you have a really pretty basket. Another way I like to present gifts like this is arranged on a vintage plate. You can find beautiful vintage china for not much money and it does make for a special gift.

This bread freezes well, although it does not keep at room temperature long due to the moistness.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
1 c chocolate chunks
1 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 .

Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, cream together butter, vanilla, and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir in nuts and chocolate chunks.

Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

1 loaf