Chocolate Banana Nut Bread, A Woman's Best Friend

Last week when I came across Girlichef's post about her Chocolate Banana Bread I KNEW that I needed to make this....and fast!!! (when you check out her post, you'll soon discover that this bread has been around!). I've tried to integrate chocolate into my banana bread several times and have been sorely disappointed. A simple handful of chocolate chips just doesn't cut it. But I never even thought about using cocoa powder! (I'm not much of a baking brainiac) ooooooh.....yaaaaaaaa....THATS the ticket baby! Cocoa Powder is now my personal hero!

As you can see...I like to make mine mini muffin style. I have 2 mini muffin pans and this recipe will make about 48 muffins! Now, there are several good reasons for making your Chocolate Banana Bread (or any kind of banana bread you happen to prefer) mini muffin style.....

1. They cook faster and you get to eat them while the second batch is cooking.

2. You can share some with your friends and neighbors without giving it all away (or looking cheesy by giving 1/2 a loaf away).

3. They're bite sized so you feel NOOOOO guilt when you pop one (or 2 or 5) in your mouth.

You can probably use your favorite banana nut bread recipe by replacing 1/2 cup of flour with 1/2 cup of cocoa powder. But if by chance you don't have a personal favorite, I'll share mine with you (cuz I'm like that. When I feel like it. But don't ask for the last reeses peanut butter cup cuz I get real 3 yr old selfish like).....

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter - softened

1/3 cup milk

1 egg - slightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup mashed bananas (ripened to the point of the skins being brown)

1 cup chopped pecans (or you can use walnuts or chocolate chips...ooor both)

Preheat your oven to 350' F. Grease the bottom of your mini muffin tins (or loaf pan(s) 2 - 8x4 or 1 - 9x5).

Mix the butter, sugars and egg, until smooth....

Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, milk, and vanilla until combined....

Last but most important, add the bananas and nuts.....

Stir until just combined. Fill your mini muffin tins to just below the rim....

Bake as follows:

Mini Muffins - about 20 minutes

Loaf Pans - about 65 - 70 minutes

I messed up and cooked my muffins a few minutes too long so they were a bit dry. The flavor was fabulous! I will no doubt be saving (hiding) my bananas so I can make this again very soon! (sorry kids...no bananas this week....hee hee. shhhh don't tell them they're hiding in the liquor cabinet)

Oh...and while I was busy snapping shots, checking the outcome of said photos and trying various angles (with the flash, without the flash....yadda yadda yadda)...I turned around and....

Half of one of my "model muffins" had disappeared!!! WTH?! Look to the right...look to the left... AH HA!!!

You are sooooo busted Natalie!!!!