Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Chocolate Frosting

This is a classic Banana Bread recipe made special with the addition of semi sweet chocolate chips in the batter. This is also one of the easiest desserts to make with over ripened bananas and baking ingredients you probably have in your pantry. The combined chocolate-banana flavors and aromas within the moist loaf are hard to resist. And the creamy, luscious Chocolate Frosting slathered on top and the sides make it even more decadent. Who knew something so sublime could be so easy to bake? This is a recipe by Elizabeth Ann Quirino for The Quirino Kitchen.

Cook Time55

Total Time55

Course: Brunch, Dessert, Merienda, Snack

Cuisine: American, Asian, Filipino

Keyword: Banana Bread Chocolate Frosting

Servings: people

Calories: 689kcal

Author: Elizabeth Ann Quirino - The Quirino Kitchen

Equipment

Large Loaf Pan - 9 ¼ x 5 ¼ inches
Mixing bowls - large
Cake Mixer
Wooden spoon
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Angled spatula - for frosting cake

Ingredients

For the Banana Bread

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened at room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 whole large over ripe mashed bananas; to make 1 cup
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 whole eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Chocolate Frosting:

¼ cup melted unsalted butter
¼ cup cocoa powder
⅛ cup milk
1 ½ cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees.
Prepare the loaf pan: Grease the bottom and sides. Place a piece of parchment paper that fits at the bottom. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix together the following: softened butter, sugar, salt, mashed bananas, flour, baking powder and soda, eggs, vanilla and sour cream.
Blend ingredients well by hand.
Fold in the cup of chocolate chips. Mix well so that the chocolate chips are evenly distributed.
After the batter has been mixed well and is smooth, pour it into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake at 375 F degrees for about 55 minutes.
Pierce the top middle of the loaf with the tip of a sharp knife or a toothpick. If knife or toothpick comes out clean from the center, the cake loaf is done.
Remove the loaf from the oven. Cool on the counter for about 10 minutes, till it is easy to manage.
Loosen the sides with a sharp knife. Invert the banana loaf and cool on a cake rack. The banana bread must be completely cool before adding the frosting on top, like at least 55 to 60 minutes.
Tip: If banana bread is still warm inside and out, the chocolate frosting will tend to melt and seep through the cake loaf. You don't want this to happen.
While the cake is cooling, prepare the Chocolate Frosting.

To make the Chocolate Frosting:

Place the butter in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl.
Melt the butter in the microwave on High for 1 minute. Add about 15 seconds more if needed. Let the butter come down to room temperature before mixing with the other ingredients.
Using an electric cake mixer, mix in the cocoa powder into the melted butter. Blend well till the creamy liquid is smooth and cocoa has incorporated evenly.
Alternately, add a teaspoon of the milk, with a few tablespoons of the confectioner's sugar (about half a cup at a time). Repeat adding the milk and confectioner's sugar alternately.
Begin with the milk, and end with the sugar.
Pour the vanilla and continue mixing till frosting is smooth about 5 minutes more.
The chocolate frosting should form stiff peaks and must be able to stand on its own. Cover the bowl of frosting with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 40 minutes to be manageable and stiff enough.
This frosting recipe yields about 1 ½ cups, just the right amount to cover the banana bread loaf on top and on the sides.

To frost the Banana Bread:

After at least 1 hour, the banana bread would have cooled down.
TIP: If it is still warm to the touch, wait a few minutes longer to let it cool. It is not wise to frost a newly-baked cake if it is still warm - the frosting will melt.
Place the banana bread on a cake platter.
Using an angled spatula, spread the Chocolate Frosting all over the cake, starting with the top, and moving to the sides. Cover the entire banana bread evenly on top and all sides.
TIP: For a fancy, decorative effect, use the back of a spoon to make indentations on the cake frosting, so it looks like little waves.
Slice and serve the cake in individual dessert plates.

Cook's comments:

To store leftovers of the banana bread with frosting (if there are any left), keep covered and refrigerated. This keeps in the ref for about 5 to 7 days.
To store in the freezer, with or without the frosting: keep in a freezer-safe plastic container. This keeps in the freezer for about 1 month.
Freeze over ripe bananas: If you have a batch of over ripe bananas and don't have time to bake at the moment, do not fret. You can freeze over ripened bananas. Mash the bananas and keep in a plastic container and freeze. This can keep frozen for 1 to 2 months.
When you're ready to bake, thaw the frozen bananas till slightly soft and add to the batter to mix.
I do freeze over ripe bananas all the time, and the baking outcome has been superb.

Nutrition