Mini Dark Chocolate Banana Bread Donuts

 

The other day, my co-worker Nancy brought in a super yummy homemade banana bread. It was moist and soft, not overly sweet and loaded with banana flavor. However, while I like eating banana bread, I'm not a big fan of baking loaf breads. Call me weird but loaf breads look so plain and uninteresting, with no toppings or frosting to make it nice and pretty. But when you take a yummy banana bread batter and bake it in a mini donut pan, slather on some dark chocolate ganache and sprinkle chopped peanuts on top, you get super cute and yummy mini banana bread donuts!

Mini Dark Chocolate Banana Bread Donuts 
adapted from Moms Who Think

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cups sugar
4 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
Dark chocolate ganache
Chopped roasted peanuts

Directions:  

Cream the butter and sugar. Blend in the bananas, vanilla and eggs. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add to the bread mixture with the nuts and mix until just combined. Spray the pan with a non-stick spray like Pam to prevent the donuts from sticking to the pan. Pour the batter into a piping bag and carefully pipe the batter into the mold, filling each one about half way.

Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden. Donuts are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the donuts and frost with the chocolate ganache. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top.

Some other notable banana bread donut recipes: 
Chocolate Covered Katie - http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/02/22/banana-bread-breakfast-doughnuts/

Sally's Baking Addiction - http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/04/21/baked-banana-bread-donuts-with-dark-chocolate-glaze/ 

Peanut Butter & Julie - http://www.peanutbutterandjulie.typepad.com/peanut_butter_and_julie/2012/01/heart-y-baked-banana-bread-doughnuts-with-coconut-glaze.html