Chocolate Bottom Banana Bars

Looking for an alternative to plain old banana bread to use up those aged bananas? Look no further than these chocolate banana bars: a layer of chocolate banana batter on the bottom topped with a layer of banana cake, sprinkled with chocolate chips. These are delicious as is but next time I might try adding cinnamon to the plain banana cake layer and mixing extra chocolate chips into the batter. They'd also be tasty with chopped nuts. Easy, peasy recipe to whip up. Need I say more?

Chocolate Bottom Banana Bars
Recipe from Moogie & Pap

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch pan.

2. In mixing bowl, combine flour, soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and bananas, beating thoroughly.

4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until combined.

5. Divide batter in half. Add the cocoa to one portion of the batter. Spread that portion in the bottom of the pan. Spoon remaining batter on top, swirling gently with butter knife if desired, and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until batter tests done with a toothpick or fork. Cool and cut into squares.