Banana Bread with Chocolate Drizzle

Looking back, this isn't the first and probably not the last banana bread recipe I will post. After all, can we ever have too much of a good thing? 

Looking back to previous posts, there were several others in 2010 to 2012. Seems I "skipped" a few years, so here's a "new" (to me), so easy and very delicious banana bread recipe that was tried after watching Ellie Krieger's PBS cooking show.

This recipe has a lot of good stuff, that's healthy too — bananas, nuts, yogurt, wheat flour, not much sugar. So what's not to like? This recipe calls for a chocolate drizzle which I didn't make. Instead, Grenville drizzled chocolate syrup on his slice(s), so that works too.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Drizzle

• Cooking spray
• 1/3 C walnut pieces, optional
• 1 C whole wheat pastry flour, or regular whole wheat flour
• 3/4 C all-purpose flour
• ¼ C granulated sugar
• ¼ C packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ C canola oil, or other neutral flavored oil such as “light” olive oil or grape seed oil
• ¼ C low fat plain yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large, very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (about 1 ½ cups)

Chocolate Drizzle:

• 2 TBSP confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tsp 1% low-fat milk, plus more if needed
• ½ oz. dark chocolate (60-70 % cocoa solids) finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
2. If adding walnuts, spread onto a baking sheet; place in oven until toasted, about 8 minutes.
3. In a large bowl whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another bowl whisk together oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla, then whisk in mashed banana to combine. 
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the toasted walnuts, if using. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Cool and then transfer bread to cooking rack.

Prepare the chocolate drizzle

Place confectioner’s sugar and milk in a small saucepan over a low heat and stir until melted. Stir in chocolate and cook until just melted, about 1 minute. Drizzle chocolate over top of banana bread. Allow chocolate to cool and set, then slice and enjoy. 

A cold glass of milk is a great accompaniement.