Banana Bread Recipes for my friend Debs…

…and anyone else who wants them. I ended up making a chocolate chip banana bread for the church bake sale and it looked so good we were tempted to buy it back from them (but someone beat us to it – darn!). Here, I’ve adapted a recipe from Calumet Baking Powder (Kraft Foods), eliminating the nuts and substituting milk chocolate chips for chocolate chunks (click the link for the original recipe – my adaptation follows).

However, the best ‘regular’ banana bread recipe I’ve found is from Philadelphia Cream Cheese (also Kraft Foods)

Favorite Banana Bread

1 Package  Softened Cream Cheese — 8 oz.
1 Cup  Sugar
1/4 Cup  Butter
1 Cup  Mashed Ripe Banana — about 3 medium
2 Eggs
2 1/4 Cups  Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons  Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon  Baking Soda

Combine cream cheese, sugar and margarine, mixing until well blended. Blend in banana and eggs. Add combined remaining ingredients, mixing just until moistened. Pour into greased and floured 9×6″ loaf pan. Bake at 350F 1 hour 10 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. IMPORTANT: Check for doneness early (at 45-50 minutes) to avoid burning. When done, cool 5 minutes in pan; remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Serve with additional cream cheese if desired.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

2 Eggs — lightly beaten
1 Cup  Mashed Banana — about 3 medium
1/3 Cup  Vegetable Oil
1/4 Cup  Milk
2 Cups  All-purpose Flour
1 Cup  Sugar
2 Teaspoons  Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon  Salt
2 Cups  Milk Chocolate Chips

Heat oven to 350F. Stir eggs, bananas, oil and milk until well-blended. Add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir until just moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into greased 9×5″ loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or unitl toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool on wire rack.