Maggie's Vegan Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

My wife love banana bread. LOVES it. Me? I prefer my sweet bread with zucchini. If I have to do banana, I'll do the best banana muffins ever. But Shana had been asking for banana bread - specifically, banana bread that tasted like bananas and included chocolate chips - for a long time.

A few months ago, I gave in to her request and started looking up recipes. I didn't find any that I liked. Undeterred, I made something up. Here's the crazy part: I wrote down what I did. When Shana tried it, she was thrilled. It was just what she wanted.

But the rule for the blog is that I have to make my own recipes at least twice before they appear here. Given my lack of enthusiasm for banana bread, it was a while before I felt like making it again. This weekend, my mother-in-law and step-dude (her husband) came to town and Shana mentioned banana bread when we were discussing breakfast. Three pairs of eyes lit up. In my quick mental check, I realized that my frozen-banana-zone of the freezer (what, you don't have one of those?!) was getting full, so I acquiesced.

It was just a good the second time as it was the first, though I'll still take zucchini bread any day.

It was still a bit warm when I cut it, so look at all that melty chocolate. 

Maggie's Vegan Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients

2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. white sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

4 medium-sized, very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 c. canola oil (or other neutral-tasting oil)

2 "eggs" (I used Ener-G Egg-replacer)

~ 1 c. chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a loaf pan.
2. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add the mashed bananas, oil, and eggs, mixing well to combine. I use a stand mixer, but that's not necessary.
4. Add the chocolate chips, stirring to incorporate.
5. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes.
6. Turn the oven temperature for 350 and cover the bread with foil, baking for another 15 minutes.

Helpful Hints

• Although this bread takes a long time to bake, it comes together quickly. Thus, it's a great bread to have baking while you prepare for the rest of your day or simply read the paper. 
• This is a soy-free quick bread as long as your chocolate chips are soy-free. Many brands are, but check to make sure they are still vegan. Should you want something other than chocolate chips, some kind of nut (walnuts, perhaps!), would be a great substitution, cutting down on the sweetness and bumping up the protein. 
• This bread freezes well (like most quick breads). Make it when you've got some time, wrap it in plastic wrap and foil, then pop it in the freezer for a great company-worthy breakfast treat. 

The post "Maggie's Vegan Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips" first appeared on Maggie's LesVegan Kitchen.