Jacked-Up Banana Bread

This banana bread was really right in Alex's wheelhouse for a number of reasons.  First (and definitely most important), it contains one of his favorite substances in the world - bourbon.  Second, I left out the pecans that I was DYING to add to this recipe.  I love nuts in banana bread.  And chocolate, bourbon and pecans are the most natural pairing in the world!  Unfortunately, we all know Alex's stance on nuts in baked goods.  It's totally maddening sometimes.  But I will survive.  Things I liked about this banana bread - it was moist and it was different.  Things I didn't like about the banana bread...  Actually, I can't think of any specific things that I didn't like about it.  I was worried that the bourbon flavor would be overpowering since I am not a huge fan of bourbon, but it really wasn't that strong.  You certainly smell/taste it, but it didn't bother me.  And yet I think (and Alex agreed) that we have made other banana breads that we enjoyed more - either we thought they had better flavor or were more interesting.

P.S. Get ready for a banana bread extravaganza this weekend.  We have 6 more bananas that should be ready by this weekend for more banana bread experiments and I have a ton of different ideas percolating!  I'm hoping to knock at least one of the three loaves we made this week out of the park, but we will see...

Recipe after the jump!

Jacked-Up Banana Bread

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tbsp bourbon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 cup of flour
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

With a wooden spoon or spatula, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and bourbon, then the spices. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last in batches, mix to combine before adding more flour. Mix in chocolate chips. Pour mixture into loaf pan. Tap the pan on the counter to release any bubbles and smooth out the batter a little.  Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.  Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely.