Mini Chocolate Chip Pecan Loaf Cakes

This year for Christmas I made a list of wish items... and all of them involved the kitchen. Donut pans, an immersion blender, mini loaf pans... the list goes on. Oh- I also requested that cute little pink cupcake stand in the picture- why not, right?! My mom got me the mini loaf pan (among many other great items) and I immediately got to work on coming up with a mini loaf cake recipe.

John recently went snowboarding and I decided to make these little loaves for him to take with him for him and his friends. They received nothing but praise according to John. (One of his friends who always makes anti-marriage jokes even said, "Maybe marriage isn't so bad" after tasting one of these. Now THAT'S a compliment!) I tasted just a bite of one, to make sure I wasn't poisoning his friends, and I was quite pleased with the results. They were soft and fluffy. I loved the combo of the chocolate and pecans. And best of all, in the mini loaf pan you can make little individual servings. Instant portion control my friends. Who says I'm not being mindful of New Year's resolutions?

Source: Adapted from The Amateur Gourmet

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2/3 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup chocolate chip

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1- Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a mini loaf pan (8 slots) or a regular loaf pan.

2- Using a whisk, whisk together the sugar and yogurt. Add the eggs, one at a time, and whisk until completely combined.

3- 3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry mixture into the wet and mix until just combined.

4. Using a spatula, fold in the melted butter a little at a time. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.

5. 5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. If using a mini loaf pan, bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If using a regular loaf pan bake 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature, right side up. 

Directions: