Nutella Swirl Banana Bread

Last Thursday was National Nutella Day!

Don't you just love this stuff?  I mean peanut butter is the best and I grew up with it.  But, when I discovered Nutella (chocolate and hazelnut) many years ago from a friend who brought me a jar from an ethnic grocery store I thought it was 'the bomb'!

Since Nutella Day snuck up on me and I didn't plan ahead (it happens) I made this late at night and didn't get it posted for you in time.  But, who says that you can't celebrate today?  or any other day for that matter?  I say "Go for it!". 

I always seem to have some overripe bananas hanging around so I decided to make a banana bread with a Nutella swirl.  Bananas and chocolate go together really really well.  My Banana Chocolate Chip Bread is always a hit, so let's mix it up a little bit.  Now that Nutella is in every grocery store I always have a jar hanging around as well, so putting them together just had to happen.

The result was a luscious, decadent, quick bread that's perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a midday snack.  It won't last long in your house, as it didn't in mine!  I might have contributed to that though.  It's kinda addicting.

Enjoy a little decadence in your life!



Nutella Swirl Banana Bread

makes: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1¼ cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup Nutella

Instructions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl, mix together banana, butter, sugar, vanilla, and milk until well blended.  Add eggs and stir until combined.  Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined. Divide 1/2 of of the batter into another bowl; stir in Nutella until combined.

Add Nutella batter alternately with plain batter into the prepared loaf pan. Swirl batters together with a knife.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan for at least 15 minutes and then remove loaf from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.