Chocolate Orange Banana Bread with White Chocolate Chunks

Chocolate Orange Banana Bread with White Chocolate Chunks

When I posted the original version of this recipe it got an immediate great response and almost immediately readers began tweaking it to suit their own taste; adding walnuts, chocolate pieces etc. My mom's twin sister, Aunt Moo, suggested a chocolate orange version, which of course got my attention...we all know anything chocolate orange does, so I had to try it. I had some blocks of white chocolate that I purchased for an upcoming cookie recipe so I cut them into rough chunks and added them to the mix too. The result was a dark, rich, fragrant, super moist loaf cake with creamy nuggets of white chocolate interspersed throughout...this definitely ain't your Granny's banana bread!

Originally published on March 24, 2012.

Makes two small loaves.

1 cup white sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

zest of one orange, finely chopped

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup good quality cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

juice of one orange
1/2 pound white chocolate, roughly chopped into chunks about twice the size of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Beat sugar and oil in a bowl until foamy. Add eggs, orange zest and mashed banana. Mix well.
Sift together dry ingredients and fold into banana mixture alternately with orange juice.
Fold in the white chocolate chunks.
Pour batter into 1 large or two small greased loaf pans ( I use small aluminum disposable loaf pans) and bake for 45 minutes to an hour depending upon pan size. A toothpick inserted in the center which comes out clean is the best indicator that the loaf is fully baked.