Moist and flavourful, this banana bread is loaded with chocolate chips to make it a big hit for all kinds of occasions. It is made with simple ingredients and the method is so easy that you will only need to take the help of an adult to bake the bread.

You can add nuts if you like it that way, or a bit of peanut butter. And there is no need for icing of any kind or glaze so just bake it and eat is while still warm!

Ingredients

• 2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, about four medium bananas

• 2 large egg, at room temperature

• 1 cup oil

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees centigrade. Grease a loaf pan with oil or butter, and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. It is better to sift all the ingredients. Set aside.

Mash the ripe bananas with a fork until no large chucks are left. Add all the liquids together — oil, egg and vanilla — in a mixing bowl. Stir until fully combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, a couple of tablespoons at a time, and gently fold in with a spatula or a hand beater. Do not over mix.

Stir in the chocolate chips, but keep aside some to sprinkle on top. Transfer batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top of the bread.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the bread comes out mostly clean, with no raw batter on it. Start checking on the bread at the 50 minute mark.

Once fully baked, remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. For easy removal, run a knife around the edges of the bread and gently remove from the pan onto the wire cooling rack, let it stand until slightly warm.

Serve the bread warm or room temperature.

Note: You can add chopped walnuts if you like.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 24th, 2018