Cinnamon Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

My daughter texted me after she arrived back home on Christmas Day, apologizing for not eating the bananas she asked me to purchase for her visit. She didn't realize that I love banana bread, and I welcomed the leftover bananas for the opportunity to make it again.

Although I have posted many banana bread recipes on this blog as well as on my older blogs, I feel there is always room for one more version. In this case I revisited a recipe by Eva Longoria in her cookbook Eva's Kitchen. This time I used her basic recipe, which I find excellent, changed the rum and cognac to Irish cream, used oil instead of butter, and added chocolate chunks and a streusel crust. I also changed up the method a bit; you can find my adaptation of the original here, as Boozy Banana Bread.

I loved the crunchy sugary crust, and the hint of Irish cream combined with the chocolate was really delicious!

Banana Bread
adapted from Eva's Kitchen

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 very ripe bananas
2 tablespoons Irish cream
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups unbleached flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, well beaten
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Streusel:
3 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 9 X 5 loaf pan with cooking spray or shortening. I find it helpful to put a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the loaf pan in addition to greasing the pan to help release the bread after baking.

Process streusel ingredients in food processor until crumbs form. Set aside.

Process oil, brown sugar, and bananas in food processor until smooth. Set aside.

In bowl, whisk together flour, white sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add chocolate chunks and pecans to flour mixture and toss.

Combine Irish cream, sour cream, milk, and vanilla in small bowl and whisk until smooth; add eggs and mix until well blended, then add banana mixture. Add this mixture all at once to flour mixture and mix just until blended. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Evenly sprinkle streusel over top. Bake until well browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 1 hour or longer - start checking at 45-50 minutes. Place pan on wire rack and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely.