A new trend is sweeping the nation. You’ve seen it on your Instagram feed, in your email inbox, even from the soothing voices on NPR: “Anxiety baking.”
Or as I (a generally anxious person) call it: “baking.”
Sure you could try feeding a sourdough starter, but that’s hard! I can’t even keep my drought resistant plants alive! Banana bread is easy, delicious, and the perfect excuse to eat cake for breakfast. Woohoo no parents!!! It also comes together in one bowl, so it's an easy cleanup.
The only foresight you need for this recipe is taking a stick of butter and two eggs out of the fridge in time for them to get to room temp. And you need 4 or 5 brown bananas, but that’s not foresight so much as lack of planning. I’m not here to judge you. Everyone is on their own banana journey.
Prep time: 15 min
Total Time: 1 hr 15 min
Yields one loaf
Ingredients:
1 stick of butter, room temp (non-negotiable!!!)
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temp (also non-negotiable!!!)
½ tsp vanilla extract
4-5 super ripe bananas
2 cups flour**
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ cup chocolate chips (or more if you’re feeling saucy)
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional if you’re allergic. If you’re not allergic, they’re not optional!!!)
More walnuts, chocolate chips, and cinnamon for the topping.
Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare your loaf pan: grease it with butter or spray, then put a strip of parchment paper in the bottom so the sides stick up over the top (see photo). You’ll use this as a sling to lift the bread out of the pan. Make sure the pan is super duper greased, even the corners.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy, about a minute. Add the brown sugar and mix for another minute or two until fully incorporated and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Add the bananas, mixing until only small lumps remain. If you like living on the edge, lick the mixer whisks (you’re done with the mixer now).
Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt with a rubber spatula until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and the walnuts, reserving some for the topping.
Once everything is well combined, pour the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle cinnamon, walnuts, and chocolate chips over the top as desired.
Bake for about an hour. If it’s still pretty wiggly when you take it out, throw it in for another 5 mins and check on it. Let it cool in the pan on the counter for 10 mins, then use your parchment paper sling to lift it out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Enjoy!!!
It lasts about 4 days if you wrap it well (and if you don’t eat it all at once…). Microwave slices for 15 seconds after the first day to zhuzh it up.
**This blog is called "living healthye" so I'm contractually obligated to tell you that whole wheat flour is ideal. We all know all purpose tastes better. Maybe use a mix. It's endtimes, who really gives a shit.
Or as I (a generally anxious person) call it: “baking.”
Sure you could try feeding a sourdough starter, but that’s hard! I can’t even keep my drought resistant plants alive! Banana bread is easy, delicious, and the perfect excuse to eat cake for breakfast. Woohoo no parents!!! It also comes together in one bowl, so it's an easy cleanup.
The only foresight you need for this recipe is taking a stick of butter and two eggs out of the fridge in time for them to get to room temp. And you need 4 or 5 brown bananas, but that’s not foresight so much as lack of planning. I’m not here to judge you. Everyone is on their own banana journey.
 |
| Check out the parchment paper sling on that bad boy! |
Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread
Prep time: 15 minTotal Time: 1 hr 15 min
Yields one loaf
Ingredients:
1 stick of butter, room temp (non-negotiable!!!)
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temp (also non-negotiable!!!)
½ tsp vanilla extract
4-5 super ripe bananas
2 cups flour**
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ cup chocolate chips (or more if you’re feeling saucy)
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional if you’re allergic. If you’re not allergic, they’re not optional!!!)
More walnuts, chocolate chips, and cinnamon for the topping.
Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare your loaf pan: grease it with butter or spray, then put a strip of parchment paper in the bottom so the sides stick up over the top (see photo). You’ll use this as a sling to lift the bread out of the pan. Make sure the pan is super duper greased, even the corners.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy, about a minute. Add the brown sugar and mix for another minute or two until fully incorporated and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Add the bananas, mixing until only small lumps remain. If you like living on the edge, lick the mixer whisks (you’re done with the mixer now).
Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt with a rubber spatula until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and the walnuts, reserving some for the topping.
Once everything is well combined, pour the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle cinnamon, walnuts, and chocolate chips over the top as desired.
Bake for about an hour. If it’s still pretty wiggly when you take it out, throw it in for another 5 mins and check on it. Let it cool in the pan on the counter for 10 mins, then use your parchment paper sling to lift it out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Enjoy!!!
It lasts about 4 days if you wrap it well (and if you don’t eat it all at once…). Microwave slices for 15 seconds after the first day to zhuzh it up.
**This blog is called "living healthye" so I'm contractually obligated to tell you that whole wheat flour is ideal. We all know all purpose tastes better. Maybe use a mix. It's endtimes, who really gives a shit.