Mommom's Chocolate Bourbon-Spiked Banana Bread {Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off}

Here's to week 3 of the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off challenge! I don't want it to end. At least I've got this great cookbook to keep cooking from once the challenge is over. I wish I had time to make more this week for blogger's choice week.

I had a hard time choosing. I was really tempted to make a birthday cake for PJ since his is coming up this week. But this banana bread won me over, because I had some bananas and bourbon in the pantry to use up. 


When I went to use the lemon juice, I realized that it was expired so I didn't add in the teaspoon of lemon juice, but I'll leave that in the original recipe. I also didn't have the whole one cup of walnuts, so I used a mix of pecans and walnuts. 


Oh, and since I don't have a mixer I couldn't do that whole thing. Just had to use my hands and good old hard work. Isn't that what people did before mixers existed? I need one though. I'll still leave the original recipe the way it was regarding using the mixer in case you guys have one. I'm sure it's a lot easier!

Mommom's Chocolate Bourbon-Spiked Banana Bread 

from Joy the Baker Cookbook 

*Makes one 8x4-inch or 9x5-inch loaf

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 and 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x4 or 9x5-inch loaf pan. Set aside. 

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Add eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute between each addition. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add bananas, lemon juice, and bourbon. Beat until well incorporated.

Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture all at once. Beat until almost incorporated. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the walnuts and chocolate chips and incorporate the rest of the ingredients with a spatula. 

Spoon mixture into loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow loaf to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

*Banana bread will keep for up to 5 days, well wrapped, at room temperature.

Printable Recipe

This was some mighty delicious banana bread. I loved the addition of bourbon. Next time I may skip the chocolate chips and walnuts, to really get that banana and bourbon taste. This was very chocolate-y, and I think I may have even used less than the 6 oz of chocolate called for. I can't wait to make this again with those modifications!

Be sure to check out my other posts from Joy's cookbook - Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, and Whole Wheat Honey and Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits.

*This post is part of the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef*

Linking up here.

Peace, and bacon grease!