The Bonus Banana Bread

Yes... bonus I said, not bogus...definitely not bogus. This banana bread is packed with extra goodies, the best goody... how absolutely easy it is to make.

I got this recipe from a Blog I follow called Jul's Kitchen, but as usual I adapted the recipe to suit me and I always encourage you to do the same....make it your own. This is another just throw everything in the bowl and mix recipe, LOL! I know you love these right?

I decided to try my hand at this banana bread for two reasons. I'm not a true lover of banana bread but I was inspired to bake this for one of my classmates, Peter Corbie, as a present to him for Fathers' Day.

Last semester, before every class and/or during every break, Peter would go to the cafeteria and buy a slice of banana bread. The banana bread that is made from pre-mix, ugh!!! So Peter, this post is an homage to you from me, Happy Fathers' Day.

The ingredients for the Bonus Banana Bread

Ingredients

3 ozs.unsalted butter
7 ozs. all purpose flour
5 ozs. sugar* (I prefer brown sugar for nutritional reasons as well as taste)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
31/2 ozs.chopped dark chocolate
 31/2 ozs. plain yogurt
31/2 ozs. roughly chopped walnuts* (use whatevr nuts you like, Brazil nuts, macadamia, almonds, etc.)
2 lg. eggs
3 overly ripe bananas, mashed
1tsp. vanilla extract* (you can use vanilla essence or almond essence)

 Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour your loaf tin. I use a 9"x5" it takes the entire batter and gives you an impressive loaf. Melt the butter and set aside to cool thoroughly.

 In a bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and the salt. Add the sugar to the sifted flour mixture and mix together thoroughly.

Add the chopped chocolate and the nuts.
A tip about dark chocolate, it is high in antioxidants so it's really good for you!

In a small bowl, take a fork and whisk together the eggs, yogurt, vanilla extract, melted butter and the mashed bananas. There's no art to mashing these bananas...just mash them. You want the bananas overly ripe for the perfect flavour and texture. I used left over bananas from my weekend market purchase as they have the entire week to ripen but you can actually go to any fruit vendor and ask for overripe bananas, you might even get  a deal!

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a rubber spatula.

Do not over mix, you just mix enough to ensure ALL the flour has been incorporated into the batter.

Pour the batter out into the loaf tin and bake for 50 mins to 1 hr. or until a tester inserted into  the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for approximately 5 mins. Remove the loaf from the tin and cool thoroughly on a wire rack.

Then package if it's a gift as in this case... or slice away and enjoy! Another easy peasy special.

Happy Fathers' Day to all our dads out there.

Happy Fathers' Day Peter! Enjoy a real Banana Bread, LOL!

Look out for more on Bobbilicious. I have a lovely broiled lamb and oven roasted vegetable recipe that I'd love to share with you...