Banana Coffee Cake (That I do not need)

I'm calling it "BCC I do not need" because I sure do not need any added fat or calories in my diet right now, and because Chad and I don't have a large sweet tooth. Sure, we crave something sweet from time to time, but not enough to have a whole coffee cake sitting around. Half of it would likely go into the trash after about a week.

I decided to make it for a few reasons:

1) I had over ripe bananas

2.) I felt like baking

(and the most important)

3) FEMALE REASONS (note I used chocolate in this recipe)

I stumbled across this recipe from a lovely nestie (i.e. friend from the nest dot com) Bensbabe who found the recipe on epicurious. Her picture looked so good in her blog, carascravings, I decided I needed to give it a go. The only thing I added was 1/2 cup of oats in the streusel. It added a bit more crunch. I also used an 8" round cake pan instead of an 8X8 square.

I have to say, this was a very sweet dessert. I would definitely cut back on the sugar in the struesel, and maybe even in the batter. I served myself a slice with vanilla ice cream and it really hit the spot.

Recipe for Banana Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel

• 1 1/4 cups cemi sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar


• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts1 tablespoon ground cinnamon


• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour


• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda


• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 3/4 cup sugar


• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature


• 1 large egg


• 1 1/3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large) 3 tablespoons buttermilk
  

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Stir chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon in small bowl until well blended; set streusel aside. Sift all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, room temperature butter, and egg in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in mashed bananas and buttermilk. Add dry ingredients and blend well.
Spread half of batter (about 2 cups) in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Repeat with remaining batter and streusel. Bake coffee cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool coffee cake in pan on rack.
Makes 12 servings.