I'm sure we all have a few too brown bananas on our counter. Before you throw them out- DON'T! Brown bananas are essential for sweet banana bread. You can even peel them and freeze them for when you're craving banana bread. Simply take them out and defrost in the fridge or microwave and they're good to go.
The remaining ingredients in this recipe you probably already have on hand. They're just the basics! Nothing fancy here. That's what makes it so delicious.
I think all baking recipes should try this "healthy twist". I make nearly all of my healthy breads and batters by subbing oil and/or butter for unsweetened apple sauce. It makes the bread so much more moist and creates the perfect texture.
Something different from the norm is that I use brown sugar, cinnamon and flaky sea salt in my banana bread.
I think it creates a much deeper flavor in the bread and it is absolutely delicious.
I also prefer to use a chocolate bar and chop it up into chunks. Chocolate chips are great as well but I prefer how a chocolate bar melts and how there's different sized pockets of melted chocolate throughout every slice.
Always save some chocolate chunks to sprinkle on top of the batter. Not only is it so pretty, it guarantees every slice has a few perfectly melted chocolate chunks.
Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread (with a healthy twist)
1 loaf/12 slices | Cook time: 50 minutes
Notes: Instead of butter this recipe uses unsweetened apple sauce. I also like to use brown sugar for a deeper flavor and a touch of cinnamon and salt to really bring out the banana.
Ingredients:
2-3 ripe bananas (360g), mashed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 egg
4 oz unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour (all purpose or bread flour)
1 tsp baking soda
5-6 oz chocolate bar, chopped up into chunks
Pinch flaky sea salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F and spray a loaf pan with nonstick olive oil spray.
Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl (bananas, olive oil, egg, apple sauce and vanilla). Once just combined whisk in the brown sugar until evenly mixed.
In another bowl whisk together the remaining dry ingredients except the chocolate (salt, cinnamon, flour and baking soda).
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in 3/4 of the chocolate chunks.
Pour all of the batter into the loaf pan. Use a spatula to scrape it all out of the bowl.
Sprinkle the batter with the remaining chocolate chunks and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Remove from bread pan and slice into 12 even slices. Enjoy warm, toasted or cooled topped with butter, a scoop of ice cream or go crazy and top it with an egg. My favorite crazy way to serve banana bread is to turn it into French toast!
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Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.
