Chocolate

Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger

by:
September  7, 2011
4.8
4 Ratings
  • Makes 1 9-inch loaf
Author Notes

I've dog-earred Molly Wizenberg's recipe for years now and just baked it last week. I hope you can agree with me that you can never be short of banana bread recipes in your arsenal.

This stands out from other banana breads in its addition of ginger. Crystallized ginger. Chopped bits of the spicy root popping in each bite, its sharpness mellowed by bittersweet chocolate. I adapted it slightly by replacing some of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour, favoring it's nuttiness.

I urge you, with a little less anger than my mom used, to go use up that pile of freckled and mushy fruit, still conjoined by their wrinkly stem, its funk permeating all corners of the kitchen. Overripe bananas begged to be married with chocolate and ginger, and promptly introduced to your friends. —janey

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/4 cup well-stirred whole-milk plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Set a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350°F. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan or an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray or butter.
  2. Melt the butter on the stove or in a microwave and set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate chips and crystallized ginger and whisk well to combine. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla and stir to mix well. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir gently with a rubber spatula, scraping down the sides as needed, until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter with be thick and somewhat lumpy, just make sure all the flour has been incorporated. Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top.
  5. Bake into the loaf is a deep shade of golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 minutes to an hour. If the loaf seems to be browning too quickly, tent with foil.
  6. Cool the loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then tip out onto the rack, and let it cool completely before slicing. The loaf freezes well wrapped in plastic wrap and again in foil to protect from freezer burn.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • jbelden
    jbelden
  • 2nd Street Sue
    2nd Street Sue

2 Reviews

jbelden November 28, 2022
I made this today because of course I had some extremely over ripe bananas that I needed to use ASAP. I remembered reading A Homade Life by Molly Wizenberg & was dying to make her Banana bread recipe with crystalized ginger ever since. I never before baked anything with crystalized ginger & I was totally into checking it out. Well today was the day!! I have to say I'm converted...it really is that special. As of this writing I have only had one piece, but I could seriously be tempted to slice off another thin one, I'll hold out til after dinner. Yep this recipe is a Keeper. Thanks for sharing.😊🎶💕
 
2nd S. October 29, 2012
Was looking for way to use bananas we bought to hold us through Hurricane Sandy. Saw this recipe and have already made 2 batches. The first I made in 3 mini pans and backed 35 min. Today, I made the 9 x 5 loaf pan.. If power goes out, we set with delicious treat. PS: the ginger is a wonderful addition.