Combine a craving for something sweet along with a need to get rid of some random leftovers, and you just might surprise yourself with something delicious.
Case in point: This chocolate peanut butter banana bread, which I stumbled across while trying to find a recipe to use up some some over-ripened bananas and expired buttermilk.
As it turned out, however, the buttermilk was too far gone. It had completely separated into curds and whey, so I MacGyvered some makeshift buttermilk from whipping cream and vinegar (click here for directions) and ended up leaving out the oil from the original recipe.
When the timer went off, I wasn’t quite sure what I’d see when I opened the oven. But, oddly enough, it worked — and it worked well. Although I can’t take too much credit because the combination of chocolate-peanut butter anything is pretty hard to beat…
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread
(Recipe adapted from Kitchen Meets Girl)
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons peanut butter
- 5 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 medium ripe bananas, sliced
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine peanut butter and chocolate chips. Microwave on high until melted, about 30 seconds; stir.
- Combine butter, brown sugar and banana in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. With the mixer running at low speed, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately to banana mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Pour half of the batter into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan. Top with peanut butter mixture, and spread the remaining batter over the top. Using a knife, gently swirl the batter.
- Bake for 55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove the bread from the pan, and allow to cool completely before cutting.
Here’s a look at the process, starting with the melted peanut butter and chocolate chips.
Just try to resist scooping spoonfuls straight from the bowl…
Once the batter’s done, you’re ready to layer it in the loaf pans with the chocolate-peanut butter mixture.
Here’s what it looks like before you pop it in the oven.
And, voilà! Banana-y, chocolate-y, peanut butter-y goodness — best served warm.
Do you have any favorite recipes to help you use up leftover items in the fridge? And do you have any substitution success (or horror) stories?
Sounds and looks YUMMY!! I may try this with gluten-free flour and see how it turns out 😉
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Let me know how that works! I don’t usually do g-free, but do like to mix things up, so would be interested to hear how it turns out.
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What a great combo!! I bet this tastes amazing!
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Definitely; you can’t go wrong with chocolate, PB and banana 🙂
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Jen, this looks absolutely divine! Didn’t know you could substitute buttermilk–great idea! This recipe combines everything everybody loves! My disaster was….. years ago when I tried to make cream puffs…..when they came out of the oven, I couldn’t understand why there was a raised bubble in the center….duh….for the cream, of course. Thought I had made a mistake and threw them away!!
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Oh, no – all those lovely puffs in the trash!
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Ummm how yummmy!!!! Man, my mouth is watering!! 😉
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Yeah – this was a good one 🙂
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Chocolate ,Peanut Butter and Bananas all the right food groups for a runner like me =) Thank you!
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Exactly. I think that hits all the major food groups, right?!
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