Dahlia Bakery Banana Chocolate Chunk Walnut Loaf

Dahlia Bakery Banana Chocolate Chunk Walnut Loaf

When you have those banana that have seen better days... make this recipe! It's from the Dahlia Bakery cookbook.

I really enjoyed visiting the Seattle bakery in 2013...it's a must see while in Seattle (along with the beautiful Seattle Library!)


Bananas, chocolate chunks and walnuts...put some sour cream to make it rich and delicious. The loaf won't last long, but if it does, it tastes even better!

Banana Chocolate Chunk Walnut Loaf
Adapted from: The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook: Sweetness in Seattle*
Find it in your library with WorldCat

1/2 c (2 3/4 ounces / 79 grams) bittersweet chocolate chunks (I used Trader Joe's Chocolate Chunks)
1/3 c (1 1/4 ounces / 35 grams) walnuts, toasted, cooled and roughly chopped (I used Trader Joe's Walnut Baking Bits and didn't toast them)
1 1/4 c (6 3/8 ounces / 180 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t kosher salt
About 1 pound of very ripe bananas (2-3) - 1 cup of banana puree
1/4 c canola oil
1/2 c (3 1/2 ounces / 100 grams) sugar
1 large egg
1/4 c (2 ounces / 58 grams) sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Prep a loaf pan (they recommend 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches) with butter & flour, or spray with non-stick spray. I line my pan with parchment paper to make it easier to remove from the pan. I used a Parrish/Magic Line 9 x 5 loaf pan so mine didn't come out as tall as the one in the book.

Mix chocolate chunks and walnuts in a small bowl. Add 2 Tablespoons flour and toss to coat. Set aside.

Sift together the remaining flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl or some parchment paper.

The instructions say to beat the bananas into a smooth puree then measure out 1 cup. I just mashed mine with a fork and measured out 1 cup, and put it into the banana puree in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment.

On low speed, add the oil, sugar, egg and sour cream. Mix until everything is combined.

Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Fold in reserved chocolate-walnut mixture with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until skewer inserted into the loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging but no batter, 65-70 minutes (if you use a different size pan, start checking early). The loaf will be dark golden brown and there will probably be a crack running through the top. Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Unmold the banana bread, then cool on a wire rack to slightly warm or room temperature before slicing and serving.



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P.S. Turns out a made and blogged about this recipe in April 2013 and have no memory of it. Well, it's a good reminder that it's way yummy so you should make it! :)