When it comes to baking breads, Phillip Wiglesworth has always been a fan of bananas and chocolate. So, he decided to have a little fun and mesh the two together. If you’re a fan of banana bread, you’re sure to love this sweet treat!
Choosing your flour
When baking breads, the choice of flour can make or break the final product. Phillip prefers to use white, enriched flours when he bakes, but you don’t have to if you prefer something else! Whole wheat, almond, coconut, organic…Experiment and see what tastes best to you. Keep in mind, though, that flours like almond and coconut require different amounts. These types of flours usually make denser, flatter breads, because they lack gluten. Phillip Wiglesworth cautions that you be prepared for that when you experiment with this banana bread.
Choosing your oil
Phillip Wiglesworth recommends sticking with either vegetable or canola oil when baking banana bread. These keep the bread nice and moist, so it doesn’t dry out! Other oils you can experiment with are safflower, coconut, and olive. Although olive oil may alter the flavor profile of your bread, so consider using a bit less of it. Alternatively, you could add a bit more sugar or chocolate chips to offset that distinct olive flavor.
Why so much sugar?
Not a fan of sugar? That’s okay! Phillip Wiglesworth understands that not everyone loves tons of sugar in their banana breads like he does. You can easily decrease the amount of sugar without it affecting the recipe too much. You can also switch from refined sugar to pure cane sugar without ruining the flavor profile.
Chocolates and Nuts
While Phillip Wiglesworth only put mini chocolate chips into the recipe, you can feel free to add other kinds of goodies into your banana bread. Try adding a different type of chocolate. Or maybe your favorite nuts (like walnuts or pecans). You could even consider adding some dried fruits, like cranberries or apricots. Have some fun experimenting, and discover what flavors you like the best!
Baking your Banana Bread
Be careful when baking these. Depending on how you divide up the batter, your cooking time will change. For smaller loaves of banana bread, Phillip Wiglesworth recommends baking only about 20 minutes. Even less time if they are muffin-sized. If you bake a full-sized loaf, you’ll want to keep the loaf in the oven about twice as long: at least 45 minutes. Play it safe and keep your eye on your bread as it bakes. You can test it with a toothpick and figure out the sweet spot with your oven.
This delicious banana bread is the perfect go-to treat, especially in the summer time!
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 well-mashed, ripened bananas
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- mini chocolate chips
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Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs, and mashed bananas.
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Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix well.
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Add vanilla extract and mini chocolate chips.
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Pour batter into greased baking pan.
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Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes (for large loaves) or 20-25 minutes (for small loaves/muffins). Test with a toothpick for doneness.
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Remove from pan to cooling rack. Let cool before cutting.
