Dark Chocolate Mochaccino Banana Bread

If you walk into any kitchen, you are bound to find some ripe bananas sitting on the counter waiting to be baked up into banana bread.  With all of the different recipes for banana bread out there, it can be challenging to come up with something a little different.  For this recipe, I took a few of my favorite flavors and added them in. 

1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour

1 ¼ cups of cake flour

1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of baking soda

½ teaspoon of salt

1 ½ teaspoons of instant espresso powder

1 – 8oz. tub of light cream cheese, room temperature

2 large eggs

¾ cup of fine white granulated sugar

¼ cup of coffee flavored liqueur

½ cup of low fat buttermilk

½ Tablespoon of pure vanilla extract

2 small ripe bananas, 7oz. after peeled, cut into ¼” slices

6oz. of dark chocolate chips, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly spray a 10x5x3” loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray with flour added.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and instant espresso powder.  Whisk until well combined.

In a large blender, combine the cream cheese, eggs, white granulated sugar, coffee flavored liqueur, buttermilk, pure vanilla extract and sliced banana pieces.  Blend on low for 15 seconds, then scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.  Continue to blend for approximately 10 seconds or until mixture is smooth.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture.  Add in the dark chocolate chip pieces.  Using a large rubber spatula, mix for approximately 20-30 seconds, or just until the flour disappears.  Do not over-mix.  Immediately pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.  The mixture will fill the pan about ¾ full.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for approximately 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  When done, place pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully turn out the loaf onto the cooling rack and let it cool for about an hour, or until no longer hot.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil,  or store in an airtight container.  When ready to serve, use a serrated knife and cut into 1” slices.  Makes approximately 10 slices.