Dark Chocolate Chip Raspberry Banana Bread

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I used to eat bananas all of the time. Bananas in my cereal, bananas as a snack, bananas with a dollop of creamy peanut butter for breakfast. I’ve fallen off the banana train a little in recent years, and they are no longer a staple in my fruit basket.

However, although my fruit consumption consists mostly of apples, strawberries, and pineapples in recent days, bananas have remained a staple in my freezer. Your freezer? Yes, that’s right, my freezer.  Over-ripened bananas, speckled, dotted, freckled, and spotted, can be found in my freezer at all times, waiting unexpectedly for my next banana bread craving to unleash itself.

A few weeks ago, I found myself in a lengthy discussion with a friend about banana bread mix-ins. As you probably know by now, I’m a big fan of of adding chocolate chips to recipes where ever and when ever I can. Banana bread is no different. My friend, however, adamantly disagreed, saying, “Banana bread is best on its own, with nothing else in it. Especially no chocolate.”  GASP. No. Nope. Never. I couldn’t stand to hear those words come out of someone’s mouth. In a banana bread panic, I decided to whip up a loaf, with not just one mix-in, but two: dark chocolate chips & raspberries. I had to reassure myself that chocolate belongs everywhere. Especially in banana bread.

Whichever camp you’re in, you won’t want to pass this recipe by. And if you are one of those crazy people who argue against chocolate chips in your bread, this banana bread might just change your mind.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 3/4 cup of light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
• 3-4 large, overripe bananas (about 2 cups mashed)
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 1 cup of dark chocolate chips, plus 1/2 cup more for sprinkling on top
• 1 pint of raspberries, cut in half, sprinkled with flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

With an electric beater or stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together for about 2-3 minutes on medium speed. While mixing, add in the eggs, one by one, beating well after each. Then, mix in the yogurt, the bananas, and vanilla, for about 1 more minute on medium speed.

In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients. Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together until well combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl containing the wet banana mixture. Stir everything together until smooth, ensuring no clumps of flour remain. Fold in the raspberries and chocolate chips until well-combined.

Using a rubber spatula, spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the additional 1/2 cup of chocolate chips on top, pressing slightly into the batter. Bake the bread for 30 minutes, before covering the loaf with aluminum foil and baking for an additional 30-35 minutes. When ready, a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 1 hour before cutting and serving.

*This recipe is adopted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

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