For Secret Recipe Club this month, I was assigned the blog My Judy the Foodie, which is where Shari shares her adventures in cooking her mother Judy's recipes. Shari describes herself as a former "clueless cook" who had couldn't even boil water, but all that changed when she came across her mother Judy's treasure trove of recipes. Now, Shari shares these recipes with us, along with sweet stories about her mom.
I knew that I wanted to make one of Judy's recipes for SRC and I happened to have 3 extra ripe bananas, ready to be turned into something delicious. When I scanned the recipe index, my eyes lit up at the sight of "Judy's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread." In my opinion the best banana bread recipes are always the ones shared by friends and family, passed through the generations. So I was sure that this banana bread would be amazing. After reading the accompanying post, where Shari describes how this particular banana bread recipe was a staple and much requested treat in her mother's home, I couldn't wait to get baking. Put simply, this banana bread rocks! It is moist and the perfect density. If you follow the directions, your chocolate chips will be perfectly spread throughout the bread. In fact, I might have to start a "ripening corner" in my own kitchen, so that I can always have this banana bread on hand. And I highly recommend that you go bake your own immediately! Thank you, Shari and Judy!
Judy's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
From My Judy the FoodieMakes 2 loaves
1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pint sour cream (I used low fat sour cream - 1 pint = 2 cups)
3 mashed bananas
2 cups flour (less 1 Tablespoon flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and salt and mix well.
Dissolve baking powder and baking soda in sour cream (sour cream will begin to foam, then add to above mixture).
Slowly add banana pulp.
Slowly add flour.
Add vanilla.
Place chocolate chips in ziploc bag with remaining 1tablespoon of flour to cover chips so they won’t sink to the bottom of the loaf when they bake. Then add to mixture.
Grease two (2) loaf pans with butter and pour batter into both pans.
Bake at 350 for 90 minutes. Check after an hour with toothpick or skewer as some ovens bake in 1 hour. Mine was done in about 65 minutes.
Release from pan once cool.
Let cool on wire rack.
Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar on top.
This bread freezes well and tastes just as good, if not better, when it’s still a bit very cold in the center!