CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

Chocolate Banana Bread image

Provided by Cindi M Bauer

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 12

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup milk
1-1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa (*see note)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Grease one 9x5-inch loaf pan.
3. Combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in a bowl. With an electric mixer, beat ingredients on medium speed until moistened.
4. Add the mashed bananas and milk, beat on low to blend.
5. Add the flour, baking cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat on low until flour mixture is moistened.
6. Use a spoon to fold in the pecans (or walnuts).
7. Pour batter into the loaf pan.
8. Bake on center rack 55-60 minutes. (I baked mine for 55 minutes.)
9. Once the bread is done baking, remove from oven, and let bread stand in baking pan on a wire rack for 55 minutes, to let it cool.
10. Run a butter knife around the inside of the pan, then flip the pan over to release the bread from the pan.
11. Cool bread completely before cutting into slices. Serve bread.
12. *Note: When it came to adding the baking cocoa, I used Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa, which gave the bread a nice chocolate flavor.