lookie lookie: chocolate chip banana bread with ginger

Delivered as promised. Banana bread. Chocolate chips? Check. Soft ginger melty bits? Check. Deliciousness? Oh yes! I found this recipe over at Molly's and it figures that if she could venture to try my recipe for a chocolate chip banana bread then I could try out one of hers. And, whoa Nelly, it's a good one!

I made this for a New Years Eve feast, but we were too stuffed from eating mussels and carelessly imbibing way too many different types of cocktails, that the banana bread got lost in the shuffle. A true shame. However, the next day we gladly cut into the loaf and loved each and every slice. The banana bread brimmed with chocolate chips, pecans and caramelized ginger bits...and the gingery bits were the best part. When making the loaf, I realized that I was out of candied ginger, but I did find a tiny box of ginger chewy candy, so I subbed that instead. Instead of remaining a solid chunk, like normal candied ginger, it melted and bubbled and turned into a hidden golden lump of gingery caramel. It was wonderful and made the loaf extra special.

Oh, and if you'd be so obliged, I'd love to be nominated for the Bloggies (which is some big deal blog award thingy) as Best Food Blog. Normally, I'm not one for asking for votes but lately, I feel the need to win something, anything! Or at least get nominated. Nominations close tomorrow, Monday January 12th at 10pm Eastern time. Thank you, thank you, thank you, in advance.

chocolate chip banana bread with ginger
(recipe adapted from Orangette)
1 c sugar
1 large egg
½ c unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 ripe medium-size bananas
3 T milk
2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
½ t baking soda
1 c chocolate chips
Small chunks of candied ginger or soft ginger candies, to taste
½ c chopped roasted pecans, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour a loaf tin.

2. In a bowl, mix the sugar, egg and butter until fluffy. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. In a small bowl, mash together the bananas and milk and set aside.

3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with banana mixture in two parts, stirring until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips, ginger, and pecans.

4. Pour batter into prepared tin, smoothing the batter with the back of a spoon. Bake for 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes and then turn loaf out onto a wire rack to cool.

the big bad banana: jacked-up banana bread

You should know by now that I do not like bananas. However, my one banana exception is for banana bread and it's funny that my most popular recipe is for banana bread. But I think I've found a match for the ever-delicious chocolate-chip laden and cinnamon-sugared crunch of the UBC cake. This one doesn't have chocolate or a heavy hand when it comes to spices, but that's not to say it is without kick. A nice glug of rum makes this bread even tempered but with a little bit of the crazy-eye. And every good cake needs a bit of crazy.


I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen particularly appealing since I had 3 very brown bananas tucked into the freezer. She adapted her recipe from another food blogger and I have adapted hers based on what I had around the kitchen. I didn't have a bottle of Wild Turkey laying about, so I subbed in some Jamaican amber rum and pecans for crunch. It's easy, delicious and I can't wait until I have a few more big bad bananas around so that I can mash them into submission for this cake. Scrumptious with fresh berries sprinkled about, or as my husband prefers, smeared with unsalted butter. It's good for an evening snack and even better for breakfast.

You better believe me that I was very sad to see this last slice go. One more thing...head over to the Food Network Canada blog to read my post on the Alibi Room. Finally, beer lovers in Vancouver have a place to revel that is not my living room. Hooray!


jacked-up banana bread
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 c melted Earth Balance margarine (but any light flavored oil or butter should do)
3/4 c lightly packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 t vanilla
1 T rum
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1 t baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 c of flour
1/2 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Mash up your bananas and then add in the melted margarine and brown sugar. Mix about with a wooden spoon until well combined and then toss in the egg, rum and the rest of the spices. Add the baking powder and a pinch of salt and combine. Add the flour and then finally the pecans and pour batter into a lightly oiled loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven. When cooled slightly, remove from pan and put on rack to cool completely. Or just dive in when ready.