Yeast-free bread with bananas, almonds and chocolate chips in a cream cheese glaze

Ingredients:

Yeast-free bread

• 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil + extra butter for greasing the pan
• 1 and 1/4 cups premium flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 0.5 tsp of soda
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate granules
• 3/4 cup toasted chopped almonds
• 0.5 cup natural yogurt or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp grated lemon or orange zest (optional)
• 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 pcs.)

Cream cheese frosting

• 0.5 cup powdered sugar
• 1.5 tbsp cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 1/4 tsp natural vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease one 9 x 5 x 2 inch loaf pan or three 6 x 2 x 2 inch mini loaf pans with melted butter and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add chocolate chips and almonds and mix well. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, yogurt, vanilla extract, eggs, and grated zest, if using. Add the mashed bananas. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir to just distribute the ingredients (do not over-knead the dough).
4. Transfer the dough to the prepared loaf pan. Tap the pan on the countertop a few times to smooth the surface. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55-60 minutes for a large loaf and 35-40 minutes for mini loaves. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool for 30 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely on the rack.
5. Cream cheese frosting:
   
   In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour the glaze over the bread and let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 week..