Black Forest- Chocolate Banana Bread

I struggled with the name of this, my latest concoction. I considered Banana Split Bread as it really has all of the ingredients of a Banana Split; namely, Bananas, chocolate, cherries and nuts. Black Forest – Chocolate Banana Bread eventually won, probably due to my German heritage!

Quick Breads are super easy and one of my favorite baking projects because of this fact. The preparation takes the longest but even with the fresh cherries, it will still only take you about 20 minutes from start to oven!

How to make Black Forest – Chocolate Banana Bread

1. I use frozen bananas, if I have them. Freezing the bananas intensifies the sugars in the bananas and provides a deeper banana flavor. If you don’t have frozen bananas, use a pastry blender, a large fork or a potato masher to mash the bananas.

1. Measure the dry ingredients into a medium bowl.

1. Pit the cherries. I use a paring knife to cut the cherries in half. Twist the two halves. One of the halves will hold the pit. Cut the half with the pit in half again and twist. Then you either have to cut the pit out of quarter that it stuck to or use your finger to pry it out. Warning! It may take you 3 days to get the cherry juice off of your hands! Everyone who has tried this bread agrees they like the large pieces of cherry. I don’t cut them any smaller than the halves and quarters. If you’d prefer smaller chunks, you can always chop them a bit.

1. Coarsely chop a heaping 1/2 cup of pecans. (You could substitute walnuts) This Kitchenaid Mixer will make your life a whole lot easier!

1. At this point, I preheat oven to 350°F. Break the eggs into your measuring cup.

1. Add the oil and cashew milk. (sub any other milk if you
   don’t have cashew)

1. Beat banana, about 2 minutes. There will be some small chunks of banana, which is fine.

1. Beat in oil, vanilla, eggs, sugar, cocoa powder and milk about 2 minutes until nice and frothy.

1. Add the dry ingredients about 1 cup at a time and mix just to incorporate.

1. Add the cherries and nuts and mix them in by hand.

1. Spray baking pans with no stick spray. Or prepare pans with butter or margarine and then flour. Shake off excess flour.

1. Fill pans about 2/3 full. Will make approximately 5 mini loaf pans or 2 large loaf pans.

Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes to 1 hour for the mini loaves (start testing at 45 minutes) or 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes for a standard loaf pan. Test by sticking a tester or small knife in the center of the loaf; if it comes out clean, they are done!

Origins of Quick Breads

Quick breads originated in the United States sometime in the late 18th century. It is believed that the lack of skilled bread bakers and the recent introduction of leavening agents, such as baking powder and baking soda, coupled with the demand of the military, during the Civil War, precipitated the need for breads made quickly, and quick breads were born.

You may like this Banana Zucchini Bread, as well! This Orange Cranberry Pumpkin Quick Bread is very popular, here on Binky’s Culinary Carnival, too!

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I hope you enjoy the recipe today for Black Forest – Chocolate Banana Bread! If you give it a try tag #binkysculinarycarnival! Thanks for stopping by today! Don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so that you don’t miss any new recipes! Have fun cooking!

Tools I Use to Make Chocolate Quick Bread

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• Kitchenaid Mixer
• Bread Pan
• Spatula

Enjoy! And have fun cooking!

Black Forest Banana Bread

Chocolatey delicious Quick Bread with all the flavors of Black Forest Cherry Cake

See Step by Step Photos Above!Most of our recipes have step by step photos and videos! Also helpful tips so that you can make it perfectly the first time and every time! Scroll up to see them!

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 16 slices

Calories: 223kcal

Author: Beth Neels

Cost: $4

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 c all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Salt
• ▢ 4 mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 cups)
• ▢ 1/2 c oil
• ▢ 1/4 c cashew milk (any milk will work)
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 c Sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 c Cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 c pitted sweet cherries (about 3/4 of a quart fresh or frozen cherries)
• ▢ heaping 1/2 c. nuts (I used pecans)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Either hand mixing or an electric mixer work equally as well for this recipe.
• Mix flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl.
• Prepare the cherries next because they take the longest. cut in half lengthwise and twist the two halves apart. One of the halves will still have the pit attached. Cut the half with the pit again lengthwise. One of the quarters will easily fall away from the pit. The other may take a bit of coaxing with your paring knife or fingernail. Be advised they WILL stain your fingers, clothing, etc., etc!
• Once the cherries are done, you’re home free!
• Preheat the oven at this point to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Spray baking pans with no stick spray. No need for butter and flour!
• Peel and mash bananas with a pastry blender or potato masher. I like to leave a few larger chunks.
• Break eggs into your mixing bowl. Whisk.
• Add oil and cashew milk and mix thoroughly.
• Add sugar and fully incorporate into the wet ingredients.
• Add bananas and vanilla and fully mix again.
• Next add the flour mixture just until the flour is moistened. then add cocoa and mix again, just until moistened.
• Scrape the bowl thoroughly. At this point remove from power mixture and mix the cherries and nuts in by hand.
• Fill prepared pans about 2/3 full.
• Bake for 45 minutes for mini loaf pans and 1 hour for large loaf pan. Test with a cake tester for doneness. If tester comes out clean, it’s done.
• Carefully remove from oven to a cooling rack. Let cool in pan for at least 15 min.
• Loosen edges with a knife and turn pan over with your other hand ready to catch the bread. It usually pops right out. If it doesn’t and it’s still hot, let it cool a while longer in the pan.
• If you forgot about it and it’s cold, coax it out with a spatula.

Bread Pan

Bread Pan- mini

mixer- KitchenAid

spatula, baking

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Video

Notes

Keep leftover bread at room temperature for 3 days.

Breads freeze well. Wrap in freezer paper, or quart size storage bags.

General Baking Tips:

Always measure dry ingredients with a dry measuring cup. Measure with dry measuring cups or weigh dry ingredients.

Always measure liquid ingredients with liquid measuring cup

Never break eggs directly into recipe ingredients. Break eggs into a separate bowl, in case you get any shells, so that you can pull them out.

Make sure that you know what temperature your oven is set at. Buy an oven thermometer and check oven temperature regularly.

Always check baked goods, like cakes or quick breads with cake tester, placed in center. If the tester comes out clean, it’s done.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 3.8mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1.3mg

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Originally Published 8/17/2015