Cocoa-Nana Bread

I know I know I've said so many times I don't like banana bread. But it's a pretty impossible thing to not make given the fact that overripe bananas are bound to occur. The bananas used for this loaf were from my boyfriend's brother & wife who had a bunch of overripe bananas and somehow I went home with them. I asked my boyfriend what he wanted me to make with them and he said chocolate chip banana bread, but I thought I'd go a little further and do a chocolate chocolate chip banana bread. I found it in my most favourite baking book, Baking: From My Home to Yours. It was super chocolatey, had a great texture, and was really soft. And it was equally banana-y and chocolate-y.

Have I mentioned that I'm extremely excited that it's October?? Ahh my favourite month and time of year. What's yours?

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins
Mom's Banana Apple Bread
Garden Harvest Cake
Chocolate Strawberry Loaf

Cocoa-Nana Bread
Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours

2 cups all purpose flour (I used 272 g)
1 cup cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (or 1/2 cup store bought chocolate chips)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan and placed it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of the other. (This will keep the bottom of the loaf from overbaking.)

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

Working with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute, until softened. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. At this point, the batter may look a little curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low speed, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cover the bread loosely with a foil tent to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40 to 45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 to 75 minutes), or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the brad and unmolding it. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.