The Daring Bakers Make : Quick Bread

Recipe adapted from Joy Of Baking at Joy Of Baking

I know its been a LONG time since i've posted new posts.I get really lazy sometimes(read always).This is a late Daring Kitchen Post.I'm really sorry for it. Anyway,I recently joined The Daring Kitchen.Its a really cool cookery contest website.Its not exactly a contest.Its more like sharing recipes.And I got accepted.(Yipeee!)This months topic was Quick Bread.Now, a quick bread is a bread that
you make quickly.Don't get me wrong,Its not about the speed of the technique but rather the ingredients, which raise the bread at an amazingly quick rate.We add baking soda or Baking powder or even both to raise the bread quick.I made this bread in about 15 minutes.As for the taste its really delicious.It got over in two days.
Chocolate Banana Bread

Recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place oven rack to middle position. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. 
Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 - 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely.  
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined and batter is thick and chunky. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.  Scrape batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the top of the bread with coarse brown sugar (optional). Bake until bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be covered and stored for a few days, or frozen for longer storage.

Makes 1 - 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf.