In the background of the above picture you see a regular banana bread- in the foreground the Hunky Monkey Banana Bread. A combination of hazelnut butter, cocoa, and banana that is to die for- but also fairly good for you compared to most cakes. This moist and gooey loaf contains nut butter for some protein and healthy fats, no refined sugar (we're using honey instead),cocoa for a hit of antioxidants and rich chocolate flavour- if you have cacao then you can up the antioxidant count even more- and banana, for natural sweetness, some potassium, fibre, and moist texture. This loaf also freezes well, and can be defrosted easily in the microwave when needed.
Anyone who knows me, knows I point blank adore my banana bread. I have a tearoom near me in Newcastle that makes an amazing chocolate-banana cake, and a banana bread recipe I found on Scola Dondo's blog which I have used faithfully for a couple of years now I think. But the one thing I always feel is missing from anything banana (or banana and chocolate) is a good dollop of nut butter. Which is why this loaf had to be created. I eat this as a snack, or for a dessert with a scoop of fro-yo, or ice cream. You could even eat it toasted for breakfast I suppose. If you have a real chocolate addiction...
Ingredients (makes 12 slices)
- 6tbsp hazelnut butter (I used Meridian's. You any other nut butter you like, although I would recommend trying this with their hazelnut butter. I can eat it off of the spoon, it's that good)
- 3tbsp cocoa (or cacao if you have it, but don't worry if you don't)
- 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3cup honey
- 1 large egg
- 3/4cup plant based milk (I used coconut-rice milk, but if you aren't a fan of any of the plant based milks then you can use cow's milk- or goat's milk. If you like goats.)
- 1 1/2 cups wholemeal bread flour
- 1 cup porridge oats
- 1 1/2tsp baking powder
- 3/4tsp baking soda
Method
- Grease and line either a 2lb loaf tin, or two 1lb loaf tins, and preheat the oven to 170*c.
- In one large dish mix the mashed bananas, honey, egg, and milk.
- Place the hazelnut butter into a microwavable dish, and heat just enough to make it runny- this will be literally seconds. Pour into the wet ingredients and stir to incorporate.
- In a separate mixing bowl combine the cocoa, cinnamon, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and oats. Again, stir everything until it is well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat together, before pouring into your loaf tin(s), and placing into the oven for 40-60 minutes. The exact time will depend on if you have a fan oven or not. After 30 minutes you can insert a skewer in to the loaf: if it comes out clean, or nearly clean as the finished product should be moist inside, then the loaf is done. If not, then shove it back into the oven for a little while longer. If the top of the loaf is beginning to catch a little then cover it with foil.
- Once cooked remove from the oven, and turn out onto a wire rack. Allow to cool before tucking in, if you can wait that long...
Labels: baking, banana bread, breakfast, dessert, easy, Food, hazelnut butter, nut butter, student food, vegetarian
