This bread is so good it can be part of your breakfast, brunch or dessert. Full of ripe bananas, brown sugar, butter, allspice and chocolate, you will have difficulty waiting for your bananas to ripen!
3 large very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (1 1/2-1 3/4 c.)
1/3 c. melted butter
3/4 c.light or dark brown sugar, packed
1 t. salt or 1/2 t. if using salted butter
1 large egg, beaten
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. ground allspice
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Using a blender, food processor, or a fork, puree the ripe bananas until smooth. Butter or spray with cooking spray the inside of a 5x9 inch loaf pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle of the oven.
Place the banana puree in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Stir in the brown sugar and salt. Whisk to break up any clumps of brown sugar. Stir in the beaten egg and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and allspice.
Add flour mixture to banana mixture. Stir until just incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 1 hour.
Note: Because the chocolate chips melt in the bread as it cooks, it's hard to check for doneness using a tester that you insert. Test by gently pushing the center top of the chocolate banana bread down with your finger. If it feels relatively firm and bounces back when you release your finger, it's done.
Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Gently remove loaf from the pan. Place on a rack to cool completely. Slice with a serrated bread knife to serve.