Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
Who said vegetables couldn't taste like chocolate? This dark chocolate banana bread recipe has a hidden surprise of carrots and zucchini folded in and paired with warm spices including cinnamon, caradomon, ginger and nutmeg.
Ingredients
- 4 bananas 3 mashed + 1 whole - cut in half lengthwise
- 2 carrots grated
- 1 small zucchini grated
- 1 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk + small splash
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp 100% unsweetened dark chocolate cacoa powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp 4-spice baking spice
- ½ tsp caradomon
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- Butter or bit of olive for coating pan
- 2 tbsp raw sugar for top optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F or 180C. Lightly coat a 9 inch loaf pan with butter or olive oil. Set aside until needed.
- In a large bowl, combine wet ingredients - eggs, olive oil, milk and vanilla extract. Beat lightly to combine, then add the sugar and mashed bananas, stirring together until combined.
- In a smaller bowl, sift the dry ingredients together - flour, chocolate, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Then add the grated carrots and zucchini, stirring to coat.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold only until ingredients are mixed together. Do not overbeat.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Cut the remaining banana in half, lengthwise and place gently on the top of the batter, pressing down slightly. Sprinkle with raw sugar, if desired. Put pan in the oven.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inerted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan. Do not slice until completely cool or it will mash the bread.
- Serve at room temp or cold. Store leftovers in the fridge.
