The site where I found this original recipe at dared to call it the best banana bread recipe out there. I'm skeptical of those boasts when I read them! How do they know everyone will like the same things they do in a recipe? But, because of the chocolate swirl aspect of the recipe and because it called for a lot less butter than my typical banana bread recipe, I gave it a try. I do NOT think this is the best banana bread you'll ever try. Personally, I like the recipe I've been making for the past 10 years better! But, I'm going to share this one with you because it was still a good banana bread (especially with the chocolate!) and because the amount of butter (or margarine) called for is so small! Makes it much cheaper to make and probably a little lower in calories as well! Watch out for MY favorite banana bread recipe in the future!
Banana Bread (regular or chocolate swirled!)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3-4)
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate bar (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar and butter until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until moist. (If making chocolate swirl bread, skip down to those directions now!) Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Spoon batter into greased pan. Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
Chocolate Swirled Banana Bread Variation:
After blending in flour mixture, place 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chunks into bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is melted. If you HAVE to microwave longer, do just 10 seconds at a time and stir. Cool slightly.
Add 1 cup of the bread batter to the melted chocolate and mix well.
Spoon chocolate batter alternately with plain batter (making layers or stripes) into a greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.
Swirl the batter with a knife.
Bake the same as you would the banana bread in the above directions.
Notes: I don't usually mash my bananas before putting them in the batter. I just break into 1-inch pieces or so and throw in, then use my hand mixer to blend. This is quicker and I actually prefer the bread this way to pre-mashing the bananas. I always just put 3 medium large bananas in a recipe. Also, I would use a thick yogurt if you can--if your yogurt is too runny, you can strain it through a cloth in the same way described in the recipe for ricotta cheese. Just let it sit several hours. Also, in China its hard to find unsweetened yogurt, so if yours has sugar already, maybe just cut back a tiny bit from what you add. If you want plain yogurt and can't find it, make your own!!
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3-4)
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate bar (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar and butter until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until moist. (If making chocolate swirl bread, skip down to those directions now!) Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Spoon batter into greased pan. Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
Chocolate Swirled Banana Bread Variation:
After blending in flour mixture, place 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chunks into bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is melted. If you HAVE to microwave longer, do just 10 seconds at a time and stir. Cool slightly.
Add 1 cup of the bread batter to the melted chocolate and mix well.
Notes: I don't usually mash my bananas before putting them in the batter. I just break into 1-inch pieces or so and throw in, then use my hand mixer to blend. This is quicker and I actually prefer the bread this way to pre-mashing the bananas. I always just put 3 medium large bananas in a recipe. Also, I would use a thick yogurt if you can--if your yogurt is too runny, you can strain it through a cloth in the same way described in the recipe for ricotta cheese. Just let it sit several hours. Also, in China its hard to find unsweetened yogurt, so if yours has sugar already, maybe just cut back a tiny bit from what you add. If you want plain yogurt and can't find it, make your own!!
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