Banana Bread with Almonds and Chocolate Chips

Banana Bread with Almonds and Chocolate Chips

Sweet and Easy quick bread or banana cake with chopped almonds.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American Classic

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings Slices

Calories 170kcal

Author Diana Reis

Equipment

2 Loaf Pans (8.5"x4.5"x2.5")

Ingredients

2 Medium Bananas overripe
2 Tablespoon Milk
3 Eggs
½ Cup Butter melted
1 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Cup All Purpose Flour sifted
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Cup Chopped Almonds
1 Cup Chocolate Chips semi-sweet or milk, optional

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Line and grease 2 loaf pans.
Melt the butter. Then mix with ripe bananas, sugar, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well, making sure to whip these ingredients together.
Sift flour and baking powder together, and then slowly add to wet ingredients. Be sure to mix until the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
Add the chop nuts and chocolate chips and slowly mix until they are evenly dispersed throughout the batter.
Divide batter between the two loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until the tops are golden and the centers are cooked. you can check the centers by inserting a toothpick. If the bread is done the tooth pick will come away clean.

Notes

Is Banana Bread really bread or is it cake?

Banana bread is considered a quick bread which means it rises quickly with baking powder or baking soda quickly, unlike a yeast bread which requires time to rise before baking. My daughter insists on calling this banana cake, and she is correct. Cakes and quick bread are one in the same. This chopped almond banana bread is indeed sweet, moist, and cake-like.

How do you know if Banana Bread is done?

Timing a quick bread with added fruit can be a bit of a challenge. When you add fruit to a batter the moisture can be really variable and that moisture needs to cook out for the batter to set.

Make sure the oven has reached 350° before putting the loaves inside, and place them on the middle rack without another rack above them.

Around the 30 minutes mark, I begin looking in on the loaves. Because the fresh fruit makes the timing variable, I am really attentive the last 5-10 minutes of baking. If the loaves are starting to brown or crack, then I use the good old toothpick method to see if the center is cooked. Poke a toothpick directly in the center of the banana bread. If it is clean, then it is cooked.

Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?

When a quick bread or cake sinks in the middle it is a tell-tale sign that it is undercooked. The cooked outer parts of the cake collapse into the raw center as it cools.

When you cut into an undercooked cake, you will see a center that is dense and darker than the fully baked areas.

How do I prevent the banana loaves from sticking to the pan?

There are many good techniques for greasing a baking pan. I really like to use parchment paper and butter or cooking spray.

Start by cutting parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pans. Spray the entire inside of the pans with cooking spray or wipe with butter, then lay the parchment down on the bottom. This will make sure you can turn the loaves out without leaving any stuck to the pan.

How do you store banana bread?

Banana bread can be left out on the counter for 5-7 days. Place it on a plate and cover it with foil to keep it from drying out.

It can be frozen for up to three months. Let it cool completely, then wrap it in foil and place in your freezer with a dated label.

Tips for Success

Check the expiration date on your baking powder. Old baking powder will cause your cake not to rise.
Preheat your oven so that it is hot and ready to go when the batter is mixed.
Sifting the dry ingredients together helps disperse the baking powder evenly and prevents clumping.
Take time to scrape down the sides of the bowl and make sure all of the flour is mixed into the batter.
You can do just nuts or you can add chocolate chips to the recipe to make it extra special. I did half with chocolate chips and half without for this recipe so that I ended up with one of each loaves.
Make sure the oven has reached 350° before putting the loaves inside, and place them on the middle rack without another rack above them.
Let the cakes cool before turning them out and cutting into them.
Use a serrated knife to cut nice clean slices.
Serve as is or warm under the broiler and spread some butter on each slice.

Nutrition