Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with pecans

Spring has finally sprung here in Saint Paul, Minnesota! I spent the weekend doing some spring cleaning and putting away all our winter clothing and gear. The sleds have now given way to bikes and scooters and sidewalk chalk. Ahh- at last! Another sure sign of spring is my dependable chive plant in the back garden, which every year is the first greenery to make its appearance. It smells wonderful! It will grow into a tall beautiful bush by mid summer. I already had some on my cream cheese bagel for lunch today, and I will surely put it to good use in the months ahead.

Hello again!

OK! On to today's recipe. A delicious and fun-looking Chocolate chip bundt cake.

I haven't posted a treat for quite a while, the reason being that I am trying to cut down on my treat and dessert consumption, with the threat of swimsuit season looming (Yes, I am vain!). Treats and dessert are really my weakness. I put in quite a few miles on the treadmill, and now outdoors, every week, but when you reach my age, that doesn't seem to be quite enough anymore, so no more treats for me! Well, actually once in a while is OK, just not every day. My kids were out early from school on Friday and my son had told me he would bring some friends home to hang out with. That was the perfect opportunity to make a little afternoon snack. And it was a big hit with the teenage boys and my two little girls. They all hovered in the kitchen waiting for it to be done and then ate it fresh out of the oven with ice cream. I felt like super mom! A small piece is all I had before it was all gone, which was perfect. Then I didn't spend the rest of the afternoon nibbling.

Chocolate chip bundt cake

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter softened

1 cup firmly packed dark

 brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 (12-oz) package semisweet

chocolate mini-morsels

1 ripe banana, mashed (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.stir together

first 3 ingredients in a small bowl, using a fork. Sprinkle in a greased and floured 12-cup bundt pan.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with a heavy-duty stand mixer3-5 minutes or until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time. beating just until blended after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Beat in chocolate mini-morsels. Fold in mashed banana if using (mixture will be thick!)

Spoon batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour)

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, Best Recipes, 2010