The King would give this Hunka Burnin' Love Banana Bread his stamp of approval! Elvis Banana Bread has crunchy peanut butter, mini chocolate chips, and is topped with candied bacon!
Ingredients
For the Bread:
¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup crunchy peanut butter (see note)
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1½ cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas, mashed)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips
For the Candied Bacon:
8 strips bacon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the Glaze:
⅓ cup powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons milk (as needed)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 8½ X 4½ bread pans.
Cream the butter and peanut butter. Add the sugar and mix until combined. Slowly beat in eggs and vanilla. Then add the bananas.
In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix until just combined.
Stir in the mini chocolate chips. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake for 45 - 50 mins (see note).
While the bread bakes, place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow dish and sort of dredge the bacon strips through the mixture. Lay the bacon strips flat across the wire rack, careful to tuck in any excess so it's dripping on the baking sheet and not in the oven.
During the last 15 minutes of baking, loosely tent the bread to keep it from getting too dark on top. Place the pan with the bacon in the oven on the rack below the bread.
You'll want to watch the bacon closely -- bake time can range from 7 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of your bacon. It will be crisp and golden when it's ready; not too dark.
Let the bread and the bacon cool just a bit before turning out of the pans. Make your glaze by stirring together the powdered sugar and milk, adding the milk just a little at a time to reach a good consistency. Spoon it over the cooling loaves (it's best to do this while they are still warm). Crumble the bacon over each loaf.
Let them cool almost completely before slicing to serve.
Notes
1. I used crunchy peanut butter for a little extra texture but you can certainly use creamy peanut butter. 2. BE SURE TO CHECK your bread with a pick in the center before removing from the oven. You will have bits of melted chocolate on the pick -- you just want to watch for anything doughy or that looks like uncooked banana. Sometimes the bake time is a little longer than is called for.
Recipe by Sugar Dish Me at https://www.sugardishme.com/elvis-banana-bread/