Banana Nut Bread with Nutella Swirls |
I associate scents with memories. I once smelled recently cut grass while riding an elephant in Thailand and immediately I experienced intense thoughts of childhood on the farm in Willis, Michigan.
There is nothing better than the aroma of banana bread baking
in the oven. Delicious as it is on its own, I have found a recipe that improves
even the best banana bread—the addition of swirls of Nutella! Chocolate and
hazelnuts and banana. I can almost smell that banana bread baking in the oven right
now!
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 overripe bananas, mashed (about 1-1/2 cups)
2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 cup Nutella
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour a 9×5-inch
loaf pan and set aside.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Using an electric mixer beat the sugar and butter until
fluffy. Add the eggs, then the vanilla. Beat until well combined. Stir in the
flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the mashed bananas until just combined.
Stir in walnuts.
Spread one third of the batter evenly into the bottom of the
prepared pan. Spoon one third of a cup of Nutella over the batter in the pan
and then swirl through the batter with a table knife. Place one third of the
remaining batter evenly over the first layer and swirl with one third of a cup
of the remaining Nutella. Spread the remaining batter evenly over the top and
top with the remaining one third of a cup of Nutella. Swirl through the batter
with a table knife.
Place loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake for 60-70 minutes
or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before removing to a wire
rack to cool completely.
Do not slice banana bread until completely cool---at least 3
to 4 hours or overnight (You probably won’t be able to wait that long!)