Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bread

I seem to have a small obsession with sweet breads lately, and I'm not quite sure why. Maybe just because it is something "new" that I have learned to make, or maybe I just keep running across delicious looking recipes. But whatever the reason, I am loving the results!! I came across this recipe on How Sweet It Is, and it sounded too yummy to pass up!! I got home from work, and immediately started on the bread, so that it could bake while I fixed dinner. While not as moist as the Strawberry-Banana Bread I made last week, the chocolate and cinnamon flavors mixed with the oatmeal were a great combination. Now I just need to figure out how to moisten it up a bit :)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bread Source: How Sweet It Is

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of butter, softened


• 1/3 cup brown sugar


• 1 large egg


• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract


• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour {or all-purpose}


• 1 cup old fashioned oats


• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda


• 2 teaspoon cinnamon


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1 cup buttermilk


• 3/4 cup chocolate chunks


• coarse sugar for topping

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9x5 loaf pan.


2. In a bowl, add flour, oats, cinnamon, salt and baking soda together and mix. Set aside.


3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy then add sugar. Beat on high speed until fluffy, scraping the bowl down occasionally – about 3-4 minutes.


4. Add in egg and mix until fully combined, then add in vanilla and do the same.


5. Add half of the dry ingredients. Once combined, add the buttermilk, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Scrape down sides and mix on low speed until completely incorporated.


6. Fold in chocolate chunks.


7. Pour batter into the buttered pan and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes before serving.