I know what you are thinking, banana bread is banana bread is banana bread, nothing special. Well, friends, I beg to differ. This is the type of bread that you take a tiny taste of and next thing you know half a loaf is gone, GONE! It is dangerous.
After years of trying and tweaking different recipes I have found the ultimate. It was adapted from a lightened up version that Cooking Light published years ago and I got to say, it stands up. Honestly, it is one of my most requested treats by friends and family – I am telling you, it is no joke. It is delicious and seriously so easy there is no excuse for tossing your old bananas!
I have a few secret tips that I swear make this the ultimate bread. One, I mash the bananas. I am talking seriously pulverize these guys with a potato masher mashed. This helps keep the bread moist, adds sweetness, andsuper-secretet note, means you can use a perfectly good banana, not just a brown one, and it will still come out perfectly! Second, I add mini chocolate chips. Some people add nuts to their banana bread, I hate nuts, so obviously I add chocolate chips. But one time I was in a pinch and only had mini chocolate chips – what’s a girl to do?!?? I know it doesn’t sound like I reinvented the wheel with this one, but let me tell you, they were a game changer. I didn’t realize how big and bulky the normal size chips were until I experienced the loveliness of the teeny tiny minis. They make it so every bite has a tiny bit of chocolate, unlike larger chips that can be overwhelming.
I know you must be seriously craving some banana bread at this point so, without further ado, here is the recipe for Kate’s Famous Banana Bread. Enjoy responsibly!
The Best Banana Bread
Equipment
- 9" Load Pan
- Stand Mixer (or hand mixer) is helpful but not necessary
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ cup Butter softened
- 1 ⅔ cups Ripe Banana mashed
- ¼ cup Skim Milk
- ¼ cup Fat-Free Sour Cream regular and reduced-fat also work
- 2 large Egg Whites
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ bag Mini Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Prepare a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray (or 4 mini loaf pans).
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Mix sugar and butter in a bowl – medium speed for about a minute, until combined.
- In a separate bowl mash the bananas. A potato masher helps or you can simply use a fork. They will be almost liquidy when you are done.
- Add mashed banana, milk, sour cream, and egg whites to sugar and butter mixture. Beat until combined, about a minute or two on medium.
- In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt, whisk to ensure there are no clumps. Then add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beating until just blended.
- Stir in chocolate chips by hand. We don't want to overwork it or it will become super dense and not in a good way.
- Pour batter into pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes (for mini loaves only 45 minutes) or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely on wire cooling rack.
I agree that banana bread is pretty special – especially with chocolate 🙂 For some reason, I haven’t had an over abundance of overripe bananas, but next time I’ll certainly give this version a try!
You should!! It never disappoints!