Quick breads are a dangerous temptation in this house.
I’m fairly certain the bread often grows legs and walks away, much like my butter. (Yes, I did buy more butter — though I wouldn’t be surprised to find a missing pound tucked between shoe boxes or behind the wine rack.)
Here’s the truth: I’m not a huge fan of traditional, deeply spiced gingerbread. It’s not that I dislike ginger — I married a ginger, after all — but the classic version and I don’t exactly get along. So I experimented by adding some of my favorite flavors. Don’t be put off by the idea of chocolate and banana with ginger; they’re a brilliant match.
Look at that smooth, gingery batter:
It’s tempting enough to eat with a spoon — if you’re into sampling raw batter made with eggs, sugar, butter and molasses. I’ll admit I’m a fan: that golden, sparkly batter had me distracted in the best way.
I wasn’t entirely sure how the flavor combination would play out — and even if it had been a flop, I would have eaten it anyway. Fortunately, it turned out to be a big hit. I measure success by how much Mr. How Sweet sneaks bites straight from the sink with a diet Coke in hand when he thinks I’m not looking. Spoiler: I’m always looking.
With a generous mountain of chocolate chips, this loaf was the perfect way to satisfy my gingerbread craving. It carries just enough warmth from the spices to be comforting on a crisp autumn day, a subtle banana undertone, and the chocolate adds a decadent touch—because honestly, can there ever be too much chocolate?
Chocolate Banana Gingerbread
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup molasses
2 medium bananas, mashed
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons raw turbinado sugar
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and spices in a bowl.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until pale yellow and smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in the molasses and mashed bananas.
Add half of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then pour in the buttermilk. Add the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray and pour in the batter. Sprinkle the top with raw turbinado sugar. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
As expected, only a thin slice remained on the counter — apparently it did grow legs after all.