It sounds complicated, yet it's very easy to make, and a perfect snack for afternoon coffee breaks or late-night noshing. These beautiful bars make a great home-baked gift for friends and family, too.
Marc and I originally published the recipe in our 13th Coffeehouse Mystery, but since today is (no kidding) National Banana Bread Day, we decided to re-bake it for ourselves—and re-share it here in the Kitchen with all of you...
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Cleo Coyle has a partner in crime-writing—her husband. Learn about their books |
☕ A Recipe Note from Cleo
"Lovin' from the oven" is how coffee hunter Matt Allegro described these fresh-baked squares in one of our most popular Coffeehouse Mysteries, Billionaire Blend. And Matt was right.
You'll notice we put a bit of earthy espresso powder in our chocolate bottom layer. Yes, we’re coffee lovers, but here’s the truth. You won’t taste coffee, only a more powerful note of chocolate. As bakers know, espresso powder is a way to deepen the flavor of chocolate in recipes.
These bars pair beautifully with coffee, espresso, and strong black teas. May you bake them with love and eat with joy!
~ Cleo
To download this recipe in a free
PDF document that you can print,
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Click for the Free Recipe PDF. |
☕ Cleo Coyle’s
Chocolate-Bottom Banana Bars
Yield: 16 squares (one 9 inch-square pan)
Ingredients:
2 cups mashed ripe* bananas (about 4 to 6 depending on size)
*See my note at the end of this recipe to ripen bananas in oven
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup canola oil (or cold-pressed coconut oil, melt before measuring)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten with fork
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt or finely ground sea salt
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
Step 1—Prep oven and pan: First preheat your oven to 350° F. Line the bottom of a 9 inch-square pan with parchment paper, allowing the ends to hang over the side like handles. You’ll use those handles to easily lift the baked banana bar slab out of the pan. Coat paper lightly with non-stick spray. Set aside.
Step 4—Assemble: Spread the chocolate batter across the entire bottom of the prepared pan. Take your time, using the back of a spoon to spread the batter all the way into the corners. Be sure the layer is even.

👉 KITCHEN TIP 👈
How to Ripen Bananas Fast
Place yellow bananas on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake at 350 F. for 10 minutes, turning once. Bananas will blacken. Peel right away (be careful, they’re hot!) and cool flesh in fridge before mashing.Coming May 4, 2021...
Our new mystery!
Coming May 4, 2021...
Our new mystery!
"He is hardboiled in the tradition
of Philip Marlowe, and she is a genteel
Miss Marple; yet the two opposites
make an explosive combination..."
—Midwest Book ReviewTo learn more, visit our
online Haunted Bookshop
by clicking here.
"He is hardboiled in the tradition
of Philip Marlowe, and she is a genteel
Miss Marple; yet the two opposites
make an explosive combination..."
—Midwest Book Review
of Philip Marlowe, and she is a genteel
Miss Marple; yet the two opposites
make an explosive combination..."
—Midwest Book Review
To learn more, visit our
online Haunted Bookshop
by clicking here.
online Haunted Bookshop
by clicking here.
👇
Free Checklist of Books in Order
The Coffeehouse Mysteries are bestselling
works of amateur sleuth fiction set in a landmark
Greenwich Village coffeehouse, and each of the
18 titles includes the added bonus of recipes.
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Click for the Free Recipe PDF. |
Love your books, Cleo. Banana bread is always tasty but the chocolate bottoms make it divine. Thanks for the great recipe.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Amy. Your nice comment is much appreciated!
Delete~ Cleo