Stefin modified this (formerly virtuous) banana bread recipe from the Cooking Light Holiday Cookbook. Her version may not be as healthy, but it’s her family’s favorite and the standard by which she judges all banana bread.
Follow Stefin’s iron-clad rule to wrap and rest your banana bread overnight. Practice your willpower in the interest of a superior slice!
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat (wholemeal) flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated (caster) sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1-1/2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed (3-4 large)
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (full fat is best)
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (Fan 175 C). Grease an 8″x4″ loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (flours, salt, baking soda) with a whisk.
- Place softened butter and sugar in bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until well creamed, scraping down sides as necessary. Add banana, eggs, and yogurt or sour cream and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on low until just combined.
- In a medium bowl, melt chocolate chips in the microwave, about one minute on medium-high power. Stir and repeat as needed. (Alternatively, melt chips in medium saucepan on the stovetop.) Cool chocolate slightly. Add 1 cup plain batter to chocolate mixture a few tablespoons at a time, and stir to combine. (Don’t rush this or chocolate will seize.)
- Spoon plain and chocolate batter alternately in prepared pan. Swirl batters together with a table knife.
- Place pan in oven and bake for one hour. Depending on your oven and type of pan and heat used, you may need to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Cover top of loaf with tin foil if browning too quickly. Test for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester — loaf is done when tester comes out clean.
- Remove bread from oven and let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack.
- Once completely cooled, wrap in a single layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of tin foil, and leave at room temperature overnight.
Variation: You can make three mini loaves (5.5″x3″); begin checking for doneness at 30 minutes.