Bitter Chocolate, Lavender, and Banana Tea Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 cup mashed banana
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh orange zest
• 2 teaspoons dried orange peel
• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup chopped bitter chocolate
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for decorating (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 5×9-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

Beat banana, sugar, butter, and shortening together until smooth; mix in eggs. Stir fresh orange zest, dried orange peel, nutmeg, and vanilla extract into mixture. Gradually stir flour into moist ingredients. Fold chocolate and lavender into batter. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle coarse sugar crystals over batter.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour.