Walnut & Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Banana Bread is an absolute favorite with the kids and the hubby in my house. My kids devour this banana bread mainly because it has chocolate chips. I have made several versions of banana bread, but this one takes the prize! So moist, perfectly baked, and delicious crunch from the walnuts.

This is a perfect breakfast preparation. When I have bananas that have gotten ripe and brown on the skin, I either freeze them for breakfast smoothies or make banana bread with them. Ripe bananas are the best to make banana bread since they bring natural sweetness and make the bread nice and moist.

• Banana’s : The riper the banana’s, the better. If you have banana’s lying around ,use them to make this delicious item.
• Eggs : Helps in adding more richness and creaminess to the batter
• Flour: Use organic or regular flour, either will work.
• Baking soda & powder : Adds tenderness and neutralizes the batter, also acts as leavening/rising agent .
• Butter : Adding small quantitiy of butter will yield in a crisper crust and higher rise.
• Walnuts : Gives a delicious crunch and are super good for you. Can substitute with almonds as well.
• Chocolate chips: These melt right into the bread while baking for a delicious bite!
• Milk : A tbsp to 2 tbsp, simply to combine the ingredients.
• Sugar : As per sweetness needed, brown sugar can also be used for a richer taste.

• Mash the ripe banans and keep them aside. In a bowl ,beat together ,eggs and sugar till light yellow in shade. Add the softened butter and combine.
• In a seperate bowl, mix together flour,baking powder ,baking soda . Add these to the wet ingredients and combine.Add the mashed bananas and splash of milk and combine with a spatula.
• Finally add in the walnuts and chocolate chips and fold them in the batter. Do not overmix.
• Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 45-50 minutes till inside comes clean with a toothpick or skewer.

The banana bread stores well for a few days if refrigerated. I usually wrap leftover banana bread in aluminum foil tightly and refrigerate it. When needed, warm it up slightly in the microwave or for 5 to 10 minutes or more as needed in a 250-degree oven.

Serve it for breakfast or a snack in the evening. The best way is to serve it warm with some softened butter spread on top. While the bread is still warm, the butter lusciously melts into the bread, making it a heavenly bite!

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The recipe is adapted from Mary Berry’s Baking Book.