A Homemade Life: Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger

I've mentioned before that Thatmom was the baker in our family growing up.  And while we didn't do a ton of pancakes or waffles, quick breads and muffins were a staple on our breakfast table.  And there were always quickbreads in the freezer.  Usually either zucchini or banana bread.  Not quite banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread.  I'm not sure I even knew banana bread came without chocolate chips until I was quite old.  It was a necessary part of the bread.  Like you wouldn't have chocolate chip cookies without chocolate chips, so how could banana bread exist without one of its core ingredients.

I will admit, banana is one of my least favorite flavors.  It's too overpowering.  Put banana in something and that's pretty much the only thing you will taste.  I make an exception for Thatmom's banana bread though. I have no concrete theories, but perhaps it's the addition of the equally powerful chocolate chip flavor?

I was a little nervous about Wizenberg's banana bread recipe.  Sure it had the classic chocolate chip requirement, but it also had ginger, a flavor Thatboy isn't entirely keen on and can be a little "spicy" for 3 year olds.  My worries were only slightly misplaced.  Thatboy certainly wasn't a fan of the ginger, but Thatkid sure was!  He loved this bread and it became a favorite after-dinner treat for him.  And a gateway into the world of quick breads.  I got him hooked on zucchini bread shortly after.

Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger (From A Homemade Life)

6 Tbsp butter, melted

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 

1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with baking spray.  Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  
2. Add the chocolate chips and ginger and whisk to combine.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a fork.
4. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, butter, and vanilla and stir to mix.
5. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake for about an hour.  Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before turning the bread onto the rack.  Cool completely before slicing.