I can honestly say that if I hadn't seen a review for this bread last week, when one of our bakers mixed up the order of the Chocolate Oatmeal Almost-Candy bars with this recipe (sorry, I forgot who), I would have skipped it. See my opening paragraph. :)
But, that baker said she wasn't too sure about the combination but forged ahead anyway and was pleasantly surprised. So, on that recommendation I decided to try it.
As easy as this recipe was to put together, it was also hard for me. Peeling overripe bananas, smelling the overripe smell, mashing them (mushy slimy things!) was difficult. I am sorry if I am upsetting any really ripe banana lovers out there. Everyone has their likes and dislikes and really ripe bananas are one of my dislikes. :P
Whipped everything up, tossed it in the oven and let it bake. I checked it after about 60-65 minutes and the knife came out with what I thought was wet batter on it. So, I left it in the oven for another 5 or so minutes and I think I ended up overbaking it. I think the wet batter might have been melted chocolate. The bread was a little on the dry side.
My hubby really liked this bread, aside from it being a tad dry. But, with a little whipped cream, or a scoop of homemade chocolate-almond ice cream, he said he didn't notice the dryness. I am still wavering about this one. The bread is beautiful. Dense, tender, full of chocolate flavor. The banana flavor is not pronounced, but it is there. So is the aroma of bananas. When I lift the top off of my cake stand, where the bread is sitting, the first thing I smell is banana. In my opinion (and we all know what they say about opinions!) it just okay. The fact that I dislike bananas in any baked good strongly influences my feelings about this bread. I may try it again with pumpkin. Now, that's a combination I love! Don't take my word about whether this is a yummy bread or not. Head over to TWD and see what everyone else thought.
This IS a little dry, my muffins were, too. I LOVE bananas plain and in anything, but this just didn't have enough flava. I wanted more banana. Everyone's bread seems to look the same--a little dry. But people liked it, so I suppose that counts. And as much as I REALLY love bananas in everything, I have a hard time dealing with the really ripe ones, too. And I don't care for the smell. But I love when they are in things. Way to do it. If I was you, I'd have just left them out!
ReplyDeleteMy bread and muffins were also dry. I keep my brown bananas frozen and peel them with a sharp knife, toss them in the mixer to mash up. No goo on my hands!
ReplyDeleteMimi
Good on you for giving it a go, despite your misgivings. I am not much of a fan of banana baked goods either, but this was chocolate all the way. Your loaf looks very handsome.
ReplyDeleteI swear I thought I left a comment! Oh well here I am.!! I had to laugh at your resse's PBC remark..girl if I could get them in my toothpaste I would..hee hee!
ReplyDeleteYour bread looks so good...;))
Whipped cream usually makes everything better!
ReplyDeleteSusan, you write so well that by the end I began to question whether I really do like bananas!
ReplyDeleteI think this cake wasn't a home run for anyone.
I read that review and was excited about it too afterwards! I ended up turning these into brownies and I loved them, but I really like the chocolate/banana combo! Your bread looks great and it sounds delicious with the almond ice cream! I'm sorry you weren't a fan!
ReplyDeleteI was not expecting this one to get so many mixed reviews, it's chocolate and usually everyone loves chocolate. I'm with you on the bananas...favorite use of them is just plain or gussied up in Bananas Foster...no need to add chocolate. Guys would love that sweet little mound of whipped cream you served with yours, though, have to remember that, although they had no trouble putting it all away without accompaniments. Staying warm out there or cold like us? 19 right now and I am dreaming of summer.
ReplyDeleteMine was a little dry, especially the second day. The cream looks good on it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog! I used my bananas for something else this week - although I remember liking this bread when I made it in 2007. Your bread looks wonderful. I'd like to try it with pumpkin, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have never run into Dorie - I'd probably hide from shyness if I did!
It's great that you tried it, I mean you never know, it could be the recipe that changes your opinion. Your bread looks wonderful, though, and it sounds like your husband is enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteI also don't like when bananas get brown- I will not eat them!
ReplyDeleteGlad that you gave this one a try and yay! that your hubby liked it.
It looks yummy!
Delicius!
ReplyDelete:o)
I give you a lot of credit for soldiering on and making this one. I also hate the smell and the slime of really ripe bananas. I'm glad that your husband enjoyed this. It looks like it was a nice dessert.
ReplyDeleteBananas can be delicious (when they're bright yellow and just barely ripe), but that overripe banana flavor is not one I tolerate well either. I'm impressed that you soldiered on with this one. The whipped cream and ice cream certainly help!
ReplyDeleteYour bread really looks wonderful and kudos to you for giving it a shot even though you don't like bananas baked in things. Funny, I'm the complete opposite - I don't really like bananas by themselves by find them yummy baked in things!
ReplyDeleteYour bread looks picture perfect! I know how sometimes it's hard to get over the mental block of making something that you know you probably won't like, but it's still a fun experience in the kitchen (usually -- sorry that this time you were grossed out by the over-ripe bananas) Glad your husband liked it, mine was not a fan of the chocolate banana combo, while usually being a huge banans bread fan this was just not for him. Your chocolate almond ice cream sounds amazing, there's a combo that you can't go wrong with :)
ReplyDeleteI don't like working with bananas either but I grit my teeth and in this case, did it. Eating it, in the cake is just fine.
ReplyDeleteWhat was funny...... I freeze overripe bananas for future use. I planned to use these for this bread. Two days before I baked it, hubby asked why I was saving those disgusting bananas. He had thrown them out thinking, I had made a mistake. Groan.
I like banana bread, but I wasn't quite sure about this one. And I skipped it, so I still don't know! I'm mostly OK with bananas, but I think defrosted mashed banana is really icky!
ReplyDeleteHmm, think my previous comment just got lost. Aaaanyhoodle, I was saying that I know just what you mean about overripe bananas. I love them when they're still slightly green, but once they get too ripe and have that sickly sweet, slimy thing going on...ew!
ReplyDeleteHello and happy Friday! Well, you tried the coco-nana bread too. Your hubby liked it, which is wonderful. I strongly dislike baking anything that has a chance of going to waste. You and I both were not running to bake this recipe again; I put mine in the freezer Because no one was bowled over with it yet. Still finding the right person =)
ReplyDeleteI loved the chocolate flavor of this bread so much but felt the banana got in the way. Anyone who knows me knows you don't stand in the way of my chocolate! So I would also like to make this again without the bananas, but I'm thinking prune puree, so the chocolate flavor dominates. That is one beautiful loaf of bread you made...I'll take your word for it that it's over baked, but it looks perfect to me.
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