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.
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, optional1. 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, mix 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.
I never would have thought to put ginger in banana bread – enticing!!
I nominated you! Good luck. 😉
I just got won over to banana bread with chocolate chips in it during the holidays. I made a loaf with chocolate chips, coconut and walnuts, and it was divine. Will have to post the recipe and get you to give it a try. Meanwhile I’ll have to try yours!
Btw, Happy New Year!
Never tried ginger in banana bread – rum and walnuts yes, ginger, no – at least, not yet, that is 🙂
ok I’m into it…I’m loving this.
creative, check!
I’m definitely going to try this! Three of my flavours in one treat. Mmmmm…
I also nominated you—do us proud!
h yum, that looks good!
Ginger? Sounds like an exciting addition. Happy ’09 to you!! And I’ll be nominating you as well. Wishes that you win! 🙂
That’s funny, the cinnamon banana bread recipe has been my go-to banana bread for a long time, but I just thought of it as Orangette’s recipe, I never realized it was yours. I’ll have to try this one sometime soon, I have loads of candied ginger.
Banana bread is one of my favorite treats for breakfast. And the chocolate and ginger make it that much more fun! Good-luck!!
Yay! I have some sugared ginger and I didn’t know how what to do with it. Now I do. Thanks for the direction.
This sounds amazing. I have a bag of those ginger chews you talk about, and I would have never thought to add them to a bread. Thanks for the idea!
Looks great! Ginger and chocolate is an awesome combination.
Hope your trip to Vancouver Island was just what you were hoping it to be. I can’t wait to read about the details of your trip…you will write about it right?
p.s. I voted for you!
p.s.s. I am starting a food blog… (eeep) and calling it “I’m hungry…You’re hungry.”
http://www.imhungryyourehungry.blogspot.com
trust me, veggiegirl, ginger in banana bread is awesome!
haha, glad you liked my old banana bread, it's a goodie. but this is pretty nice too! totally different texture.
thanks yvonne!
ginger works well, daily spud. and i'm definitely a fan of rum and walnuts in bb!
mevrouw, happy 2009 to you!! chocolate and bananas do go so well together!
thanks dawn 🙂
it's a good one, brie! thanks 🙂
yum, definitely sarena!
thanks caviar & codfish!
culinary, it's a good breakfast for sure…even with the chocolate chips!
glad i could inspire, anne!
hayley, it works so well. i can't believe i didn't use it earlier in baking.
i agree, bijoux! congrats on the new blog, i'll definitely check it out.
Ooooh – I love the ginger addition – delish!!
Oh, and I forgot to ask about your muffin recipe. Can a link to it in the Meyer lemon round-up? Thanks!
With ginger!! Nice touch. I have got to try that next time I make banana bread! Very good thinking!
I’m so with you on the ginger! I’ve been adding it to all of my sweet breads lately. It just makes everything a little better, doesn’t it?
ooh ginger is a great addition to baked goods! i love ginger, but I always seem to forget about it when baking…
cookiepie, the ginger is the bomb!
hayley, definitely, you can add it to your round-up!
definitely, jesse 🙂
cakespy, and using ginger candies was pretty fantastic. extra goodness!
raspberry, well get it to the front of your mind! it’s a good one 🙂
ginger (and you) can do no wrong.
and poop: I missed the nomination phase, it would appear. considering you are one of my favorite bloggers, I would totally have nominated you, too.
aw schuks, cake! you make me blush *-*
Crystallized ginger is my new favorite ingredient. I just put it into chocolate cookies this afternoon. Bananas on my counter are turning black as we speak – I’ll make this soon!
Not a bloggie, nor anything quite so grand, but, if it’s of any consolation, I did make mention of you and your blog over at my place… http://www.thedailyspud.com/2009/01/21/a-what-award-thats-what/
karen, i hope you do! it’s a good one.
aw shucks, spud. thanks for the award!
Made this late last night with the intention of bringing it to the office. I dumped in too many chocolate chips… whoops! We deemed it “too good to take to work.” 🙂 I hope there’s still some waiting for me when I get home!
This looks amazing! I just made a chocolate chip banana bread but now I feel like I have to make another, because what the heck, GINGER? YES.