There are two recipes on this page. First, there is an heirloom recipe from my mom’s recipe box, credited to Jean Easton. The second is for banana chocolate nut bread, which is another variation you can make on this theme.

The first recipe makes a serviceable banana muffin when you want to bake something uncomplicated or use it as a starting point for experimentation. There are no instructions on the original recipe card, so I made my best guess based on other batter-based recipes and added the details below.

I made an embellished version of it (as seen in the photo above) with some chocolate chunks and orange extract. This was a double batch and it made 18 muffins when I used a 2-inch ice cream scoop. Without embellishment, it’s a basic muffin with some banana and not a lot of sweetness. It took the chocolate nicely, and the orange extract added just enough flavor that it was like I’d used a chocolate orange instead, reminiscent of the type you can find around the holidays. And while I didn’t use nuts here, you can certainly add them if you like them.

Note that the recipe below will make approximately 9 muffins with one banana. Double or triple this depending on how many brown bananas you need to use up.

1 1/2 tbs. butter
3 tbs. white sugar
2 tbs. brown sugar
1 egg
3 tbs. milk
Optional: flavor extract (vanilla, orange, or another of your choice)
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 banana
Optional: chocolate chips or chunks (about 1/2 – 1 cup)
Optional: nuts

Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the egg and milk. If you want to use a flavored extract like vanilla, orange, or whatever, add it now.

Mix in the dry ingredients.

Add the banana, mushing it if it’s not soft yet. If you want to use chocolate and/or nuts, add them last.

Pour batter into a greased muffin tin, with or without paper muffin cups (grease the inside of the paper cups if using).

Bake at 350F for approximately 15-16 minutes; pull them out when a toothpick comes out clean.

And now, another recipe!

Banana Chocolate Nut Bread

Now, here is my spinoff, borrowing some guidelines from All Recipes. 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
2 large eggs, beaten
2 ⅓ cups mashed overripe bananas
1 tsp. rum extract
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and one small, gift-sized loaf pan (see below).

Beat brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in eggs, rum extract, and mashed bananas until well blended. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda until just combined, then add the nuts and chocolate. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. (Depending on whether you add the nuts and/or chocolate, you might only need one loaf pan. Aim to fill a pan 3/4 full and put any extra into another baking pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes for a large loaf pan and 25-30 for a small one. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.