Chocolate Peppermint Bread

So with Christmas right around the corner and baking season in high gear I wanted to combine two of my favorite flavors in a baked item I love to make. Most of you know how many quick bread recipes I have!

This is such a great and easy bread to whip up. It tastes just like Christmas! I think that I am going to make this bread every Black Friday to start the Christmas Season with a perfect pairing. A slice of this with a steaming hot mug of Hot Chocolate and you will be in Deck the Halls Heaven!

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The Crowning glory of this bread is the White Chocolate and Peppermint candy topping! Not only does it make this wonderful bread gorgeous it turns into a winter wonderland.

The chocolate flavor is bursting out and is not overpowered by the peppermint. I like to slightly under bake my breads so the middle section of the crown stays nice and moist.

This recipe makes two loaves. So they also would make perfect gifts! I know I would be overjoyed if I received a loaf this amazing!

So much Chocolate, great peppermint and it’s dense and not overly sweet. A perfect snack or midnight treat! We all know that someone special will be coming late one night. And although he really loves Brownies {Santa’s Favorite Brownies} he would be just as happy with Chocolate Peppermint Bread.

Ingredients

• 1/4 butter softened
• 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup strong coffee
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 3 1/2 cups AP flour
• 3/4 cups cocoa powder
• 1 q/2 tsp baking SODA
• pinch salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk ( use 2% milk and 1 tsp cream of tartar to make buttermilk)
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• 2 oz white chocolate melted and crushed peppermints for the topping

Instructions

• preheat oven to 350
• grease 2 loaf pans with butter (I never use spray with baked goods)
• in the mixer beat brown sugar and butter till crumbly
• mix in all the wet ingredients and combine (will look very sloppy, but trust me it works out in the end)
• mix in salt and baking soda
• then add the cocoa
• slowly add the flour and mix until a nice batter
• add in the chocolate chips
• pour batter into prepared loaf pans
• bake for 50-55 min
• Let cool in the pan for 1 hour
• then turn out to a cooling rack
• once completely cool
• melt white chocolate in the microwave
• have crushed candies ready to go
• drizzle the white chocolate across the tops of the loaves and sprinkle the crushed peppermints
• let cool and set
• wrap in cling film
• Enjoy!