Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

You will need:
2 cups all purpose flour [I tried to sub whole wheat--don't do it]
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 stick [8 Tbsp] unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 c buttermilk
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350.
Butter or lightly oil a 9x5 loaf pan and place on a cookie sheet to keep the bottom insulated.  That will keep the bottom of the bread from overbaking.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In your mixer's work bowl or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter until it's really soft and then add in the sugar.  Cream for 2 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing inbetween.  Reduce the mixer's speed to low and add in the bananas

Add the dry ingredients in 3 stages, mixing just until it disappears into the wet.  You want to be so careful not to overmix.

With the mixer on low, add in the buttermilk until incorporated.  Fold in the coarsely chopped chocolate.  Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Then, lightly cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes more.  The foil will keep the top of the bread from becoming too dark.  Total baking time is 70-75 minutes, or until a thin knife comes out clean from the center.

Place the pan on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes.  Then run a thin knife around the edge of the bread and invert onto the rack to finish cooling.

Cook's notes:
I tried to sub in half whole wheat flour.  It made it too dry, I thought.  Also, this bread is very chocolatey so if you don't like chocolate, you probably won't like this.  Just a word of warning!  It's not to sweet so I think it makes a great breakfast...........if you're into that sorta thing.  ;)