Chocolate Banana Nut Bread

There are a million banana bread and cakes recipes out there but it isn't always easy to find a good one. My criteria for a good banana bread recipe is that it must be moist, firm, flavourful and crusty all at the same time - quite a tall order! This Banana Nut Bread recipe from William Sonoma had some pretty good reviews all over the web sphere and I had fairly high expectations of how it was going to turn out - I wasn't disappointed. 

It's one of those loaves that is not overly sweet, has a distinctive banana fragrance, lovely crunch from the nuts, a moist yet firm texture and is super easy to make. I think the secret ingredient is really the nutmeg and this is what truly sets it apart from other banana bread recipes I've used. The first bite into the bread, the lovely aroma of nutmeg lingers with each bite.

I added some chocolate chips and that made it even more delicious. It's definitely a great recipe picked by the hosts of the Bake Along. 

Chocolate Banana Nut Bread (One 9x5 inch tin - I made mine in 2 small loaf tins)

Recipe by Williams-Sonama

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbs. (85 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup)
• 2 or 3 very ripe bananas, coarsely mashed (about 1 1⁄2 cups)
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1⁄2 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 3⁄4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (my own addition)

Directions:

• Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the bananas and eggs and beat until smooth. Add the buttermilk and beat just until combined.
• In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and nuts. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and beat just until combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. It should be no more than two-thirds full. Bake until the loaf is dark golden brown and dry to the touch and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, 55 to 60 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Let the bread rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into thick slices to serve. Makes one 9-by-5-inch loaf.

Storage Tip: Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

This is for Made with Love Mondays by Javelin Warrior.

I am submitting this to Bake-Along hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours, Lena of Her Frozen Wings and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids