Espresso-Chocolate Chip Banana Bread with Espresso-Cinnamon Butter
- Level: Easy
- Yield: One 9-inch loaf
- Total: 1 hr 50 min (includes cooling time)
- Active: 35 min
Ingredients
Banana Bread:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra at room temperature for greasing the pan
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 medium-ripe bananas (the peel should be pretty black), peeled and halved
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lightly-packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Espresso-Cinnamon Butter:
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine salt
Directions
- Make the banana bread: Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with the softened butter. Place the 5 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat and cook until the butter turns a deep golden brown color, about 2 minutes; stir in the espresso powder. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda and kosher salt together in a medium bowl.
- Using a potato masher, mash the bananas in a medium bowl until pretty smooth. Add the sugars, cooled brown butter and egg and whisk until combined. Add the flour mixture and whisk until just combined, don't over-mix. Fold in the chopped chocolate.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake on the lowest oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the banana bread comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 40 to 50 minutes. Let the banana bread cool on a baking rack in the pan for 15 minutes. Use a knife to separate the edges of the banana bread from the pan, then invert it and cool the loaf directly on the rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
- Make the espresso-cinnamon butter: Stir the butter, sugar, espresso, cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl until smooth. Serve with the banana bread.