Banana Bread with Peanut Butter Chips

I wasn't going to post this recipe yet, but I couldn't stand June having only six posts, when I had others teed up and ready to go.  And by teed up and ready to go I really mean that I made the recipe, I have pictures of it and I have a critique in mind.  The logical thing to do would be to wait until tomorrow and sleep on it, but I just can't.  So, this post is going to be short and sweet.  I also have another post halfway teed up for a Susan Spicer recipe (picture and a critique in mind, but no recipe typed out as of yet), but I just didn't have the energy to work up another post this evening.  So June will just have to survive with 7 measly posts.  

I accidentally ripped off the tops of our bananas (again) earlier this week so I knew I had to make banana bread (or something else involving overripe bananas) this weekend.  I really need to start handling our bananas more carefully to avoid ripping the tops off all the time.  The bananas in NYC just seem so flimsy compared to the ones I am used to.  I swear the tops just rip right off with almost no provocation.  Anyway, I did it on Thursday so I had a few days to think about what I should make and I came to the conclusion that I just wanted to try something new, but easy.  I was going to make a banana bread with peanut butter and a swirl of jelly, but Alex was a little skeptical of the addition of jelly.  And then I was going to add walnuts, but Alex pitched his usual anti-nut stink, so I gave up on that.  I thought about it some more and then when it came down to it I got lazy and decided to just add peanut butter chips and call it a day.  So there you have it.  I also played with my standard banana bread recipes to add in a little moisture using a combination of vegetable oil and Greek yogurt, instead of butter, creme fraiche or sour cream.  All in all I thought it was a very successful banana bread.  It has a great light, moist crumb and a nice peanut butter flavor.  I was worried about it being too sweet, but it really isn't.  The balance of peanut butter to banana is perfect so you taste both without either flavor overwhelming the other.  And I think we made the right choice in leaving out the jelly, but I might still try it out in a future banana bread recipe...

Recipe after the jump!

Banana Bread with Peanut Butter Chips

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 t cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 very ripe bananas, coarsely mashed

2 tbsp Greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup peanut butter chips, plus 2 tbsp additional, separated

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray a 9x5x3 metal loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Beat together eggs and sugar in bowl of electric stand mixer (or use a handheld mixer) at medium-high speed until very thick, pale and creamy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add oil in a slow stream, mixing, then mix in bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract.  Fold in flour mixture and peanut butter chips.

Pour batter into the pan, spreading evenly.  Top with 2 tbsp additional peanut butter chips.  Bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes.

Cool completely.