Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread

This is very chocolatey, very sweet, and very decadent! It is more like a dessert than a bread. I have altered this recipe so it is a bit lower in fat than some, but even so it is still very dense and moist. I prefer to bake with whole eggs but you could substitute egg whites or Egg Beaters to bring the fat down a bit more. I like to spread peanut butter on this, which makes me believe that some peanut butter chips would also be very good in this. Yogurt can be used in place of the sour cream, and walnuts can replace the pecans. I've tried them all and they are all good! This also makes a well-liked gift bread.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  eggs
• 3  bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 2  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1⁄4 cup nonfat sour cream
• 1⁄2 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Prepare a standard size loaf pan (9" x 5") by greasing it or spraying it with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and eggs until they are fluffy.
4. Stir in bananas and vanilla.
5. Gradually add in flour, baking soda and cocoa, mixing just until combined.
6. Stir in sour cream, chocolate chips, and nuts.
7. (I save about 1 tablespoon each of the chips and nuts, and sprinkle them on top of the loaf before baking.) Pour into the loaf pan.
8. Bake for about 45-60 minutes, or until the bread tests done (insert a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean, they are ready).
9. Cool completely before cutting.
10. (Alternatively, pour the mixture into greased or lined muffin pans and bake for about 15 minutes. Makes about 18 muffins.).