Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Banana bread is one of my all-time favorite treats. I like my banana bread to eat more like a cake, rather than bread - makes it feel so much more indulgent - and I hope you feel the same way.

And, it’s dairy-free and gluten-free.

AND, it’s been taste-tested and approved by hungry brunch friends.

ANNND, I’ve decided to add this to the cookbook. Yep, I’m that generous.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this chocolate chip banana bread:

• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil + a little extra to grease bread tin

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 2 eggs

• 3-4 medium-sized very ripe bananas, mashed

• 1/4 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 cup almond flour

• 3/4 cup oat flour

• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick cook), plus more to sprinkle on top

• 1/4-1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (or chocolate chips of your choice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a bread tin with enough coconut oil to coat the entire tin, including the sides! I usually melt about a teaspoon of coconut oil, pour into the tin, and spread with a paper towel.

In a large bowl, whisk melted coconut oil and maple syrup until combined. Add eggs, and whisk again until combined. Add in bananas, milk, baking soda, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon, and whisk until completely combined.

Add almond and oat flours, as well as oats, and using a spatula, carefully fold mixture together until all ingredients are incorporated. Add in chocolate chips, and fold again with a spatula until the chips are dispersed throughout the mixture evenly.

Pour batter into the greased bread tin. Even out the top with the spatula and bang the tin (gently) on the counter a couple of times to release any air bubbles. Sprinkle the top with some extra oats.

Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, until the middle is set and a toothpick/knife dipped in comes out clean. The edges of the bread will brown before the middle, so don’t worry. Let bread cool slightly before taking out of the bread tin.

Black Sesame & Tahini Bread For The Win

I'm probably not the only one whose Instagram feed is mostly food, and it's honestly where I get a lot of inspiration for weeknight meals, weekend baking projects, and all the snacks in between. 

I'm such a sucker for banana bread, but when I saw this swirled sesame tea cake... mind. blown. First, it's gorgeous. And second, it utilizes an ingredient that I usually have in my fridge but I almost never use!

Tahini is ground sesame, this beautiful light golden paste that's nutty and savory. It's also one of the main ingredients in hummus, giving it it's rich flavor.

If you've read any of my blog posts or Instagram posts, you know I'm impatient and can't be bothered with all the extra bowls & baking steps. And so, this version of this bread was born!

Here's what you need to make my Black Sesame & Tahini Bread (makes one 8 1/2"x4 1/2" loaf):

Dry:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat (or AP) flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp each: cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger

Wet:

• 1/2 cup coconut (or full fat Greek) yogurt
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Other:

• Black sesame seeds for sprinkling
• Ghee (or nonstick oil spray) for pan

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Coat bread loaf pan with nonstick oil spray OR thin layer of ghee. Then, line pan with parchment paper, so that paper comes up above the sides of the pan. Once more, coat parchment paper with nonstick spray OR thin layer of ghee. Sprinkle sesame seeds and sugar to coat parchment liner, tapping to evenly coat pan liner. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, combine yogurt and tahini. It might separate a little bit, but mix it until it's thoroughly combined. 

In another large mixing bowl, with a hand mixer (or standing mixer if you have one), beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until pale in color and thickened. Add in olive oil and sesame oil and beat until thoroughly combined.

Add dry ingredients and yogurt & tahini mixture alternately to the bowl with the wet ingredients (sugar, eggs, and vanilla)—dry, then yogurt & tahini mixture, then dry, then mixture, ending with dry.

Pour batter into the bread loaf pan, and sprinkle the top with more sesame seeds and sugar.

Bake for 55-65 minutes, until golden brown and no longer gooey in the center. Lift parchment & bread together out of the pan to allow to cool.

Serve warm topped with coconut yogurt & berries, or slathered with almond butter, or grab a slice straight out of the bread loaf pan (go ahead, no one's judging).

Adapted from bon appetit's swirled sesame tea cake.