Bourbon Chocolate-Chip Banana Bread

Thanks to my inability to eat an entire bunch of bananas before they go bad, I end up making banana bread quite often.  I usually do not have any patience for baking, but this is something easy enough for me to handle.  This is not just any ordinary banana bread though, it has BOURBON, and CHOCOLATE, AND cream cheese!  I don't know how it could get any better!

Here's what you need:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 mashed ripe bananas 
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp bourbon
• 2 cups chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate)

       Glaze:

• 3 oz cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• 1½ cups sugar

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.  First mix your dry ingredients together in a large bowl: flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  In a stand mixer (or you can use a hand mixer and separate bowl), cream together your butter and sugar.

Now add your wet ingredients to your butter/sugar mixture.  Add in your eggs (one at a time) and mix to combine.  Next add your bourbon, bananas, and lemon juice and continue mixing until you have a smooth, creamy batter.

Finally mix in your big bowl of flour mixture (flour, baking powder, and salt) to your existing batter and mix until well combined.

Remove your mixing bowl from your stand mixer and carefully fold in your chocolate chips with a spoon.  

Grease your pans.  I used several mini loaf pans but you can also use one 9 x 5 inch loaf pan too.  Pour the batter into your pans- it will rise a bit, so I only filled mine about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake in the oven at 350 for 45-60 minutes.  If you use small loaf pans like I did, it will take less time (about 35-40 minutes).  The tops should be golden brown and an inserted toothpick should come out clean of any batter.  Now you can make the cream cheese glaze.

You only need three ingredients for the glaze: sugar, cream cheese, and MORE bourbon!  Just put all your ingredients together in a bowl and use a hand mixer to cream everything together until light and fluffy.

After your breads are finished baking let them cool 10 minutes before your drizzling or spreading your glaze on the top.  I prefer using the mini loaf pans because the breads get crispy on the edges but are still so moist and melty inside, especially with the warm chocolate chips!  Enjoy a warm slice with a tall glass of cold milk!