Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Banana Bread

Happy first day of autumn! It's my favorite season and I wish I could say the weather was autumnal but, if we bake like it is then perhaps it will come.

As if right on cue, I found both fresh and canned pumpkin when I was grocery shopping so I'm taking it as a sign that pumpkin bread needs to happen. Even if I have the air conditioner on while I bake it. I normally bake a chocolate chip pumpkin loaf for the first day of fall but I've really gotten into chocolate chip banana bread lately. So, why not combine the two?

This combo really works because you can taste both the bananas and the pumpkin and they compliment each other. You could leave out the chocolate chips but...um...why would you ever leave out chocolate chips when chocolate chips are an option? The decorative banana slices on top are purely optional as is the choice of chocolate chips. This loaf is not super sweet so if you want a little bit more then use milk chocolate. Enjoy!

Yield: 8

Author: Anita Schecter

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Banana Bread

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

Recipe for a sweet loaf cake flavored with pumpkin puree, fresh bananas and filled with chocolate chips.

Ingredients

• 1 Stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 Cup light brown sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 2 Overripe bananas, mashed
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 Cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
• One ripe banana, sliced lengthwise, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. You can also butter and line with parchment paper.
2. Combine the softened butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar and cream together using a hand or stand mixer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the pumpkin puree, mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground nutmeg.
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet but be careful not to overmix. Combine the chocolate chips with about a teaspoon of flour (this will help to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake) and fold into the batter.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with the sliced banana, if using, and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.