Chocolate walnut banana bread

Chopped dark chocolate, nuts and a touch of molasses put a delicious spin on a familiar favourite.

Credit: Mary Makes It Easy

• serves

  8

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  55 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 3 tsp (20 g) molasses
• ½ cup (125 ml) canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 3 (about 1½ cups) mashed ripe bananas
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 2 cups (270 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup (55 g) chopped walnuts, toasted
• ¾ cup (75 g) chopped dark chocolate
• 1½ tbsp turbinado sugar

Cooling time: 20 minutes.

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and grease a 23 cm x 13 cm (9 in x5 in) loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, molasses, oil, eggs, bananas and vanilla until well combined. Set aside.
3. In a small glass measuring cup, stir together the milk and vinegar and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate.
5. Add about a third of the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir gently until almost combined. Add half the milk mixture and stir just to combine. Stir in another third of the dry ingredients followed by the remaining milk mixture and finally the remaining dry ingredients.
6. Transfer into the prepared pan and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

7. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until deeply golden brown and a cake tester or skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes before turning it out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.