Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I had some bananas that were getting overripe and thought baking banana bread sounded good.  I've been seeing lots of recipes for banana bread with chocolate chips so I decided to give it a try!  These are fabulous!!  I adapted the banana bread recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.  My mother-in-law gave these pans to all the ladies in the family a few years back.  Each loaf is about the size of 1 1/2- 2 cupcakes.  I used two medium cookie scoops of batter for each loaf.  Hope you enjoy this recipe!  I will definitely be making this one again! 

 Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

 Aren't these little loaves adorable??

Updated 1/30/2013- Made this recipe again today only made it in a standard loaf pan (see pic below). 

 

 

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
adapted from:  Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup mashed bananas ( I used 2)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grease the bottom and sides of loaf pan(s).  In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients except chocolate.  Mix until just moistened.  (Note:  I dusted my chocolate chips with about a tsp. of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of each loaf.)  Fold in chocolate chips.  Spoon batter into prepared pan(s).  For mini-loaves, bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. (If baking one loaf in a regular loaf pan, bake for about 45-50 minutes.)

Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Cinnamon Buttercream

At my cousin's wedding this summer, we had the most amazing cupcakes!!  One of them appeared to be simply chocolate with chocolate frosting.  There was something special about these cupcakes, though!  A secret ingredient. . . CINNAMON!  They were chocolate cinnamon cupcakes!!!  I knew I had to figure out a way to make that wonderful buttercream frosting.  It's taken me a few tries but I think I finally have it perfected!  I decided to put the frosting onto a vanilla cupcake instead so the star is that delicious frosting!!  You've got to try these!!

The cupcake recipe was found online but I can't remember where because I scribbled the recipe onto a notepad!

 Gather dry ingredients (flour, soda, baking powder, and salt).  You will also need 1 egg at room temperature, 6 T. butter, 1c. sugar, 1 t. vanilla, and 1 c. of buttermilk (sour cream or yogurt would work too).

 Melt the butter.  Add in other wet ingredients.

 Add the dry ingredients.

 Mix with an electric mixer.   Pour batter into muffin pan lined with cupcake liners.  This recipe yielded 15 cupcakes.  The batter is a little on the thin side so I used my large measuring cup to fill the liners 2/3 full.

 Bake @ 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Cool completely.

AND NOW THE FROSTING. . .

 Melt 2 oz. of unsweetened baking chocolate.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

 Beat butter in large bowl on medium speed until fluffy.

 Add in room temperature chocolate and vanilla.

 Add powdered sugar and cinnamon gradually.  Mix well after each addition.  Add 1-2 T. of heavy whipping cream.

 Whip frosting about 2-3 minutes until it is light and creamy! 

 I used a large coupler, 1M Swirl tip, and large disposable decorating bag to create the swirl on top of each cupcake!

Vanilla Cupcakes

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2. salt

6 T. butter, melted

1 c. sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 t. vanilla

1 c. buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt

Bake cupcakes @ 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Chocolate Cinnamon Buttercream

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

2 t. cinnamon

2 cups powdered sugar

1-2 T. heavy cream

Melt unsweetened chocolate.  Remove from heat and allow cool to room temperature.  Beat butter in large bowl on medium speed until fluffy.  Add in vanilla and room temperature chocolate and mix well.  Add in powdered sugar and cinnamon gradually, mixing well after each addition and scraping sides and bottom of bowl.  Beat in whipping cream and whip frosting until light and creamy- about 2-3 minutes.

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