Black & White Banana Bread

Hold on to your aprons...I've created another Banana recipe and this one is a winner!

This morning, I found five, yes five, bananas hanging on the rack and hubby says, "these are too ripe for my cereal."  Obviously, the speckled peels turns him off even though I know the banana is at its best.  What to do?  It came to me that I've never done a "marbled" banana bread, so an idea was born.

Black & White Banana Bread

3/4 cup Butter-flavored shortening (if you use the sticks, this is a simple measure!)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
4 large eggs
5 medium bananas, peeled and mashed
3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
2 oz (about 1/3 cup) bittersweet chocolate chips, melted

1/4 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Grease and flour two 9" x 5" loaf pans (or use a baking spray)

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the shortening and sugar together.  Add the vanilla and mix again on medium speed.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

Add the dry ingredients and the mashed bananas (all at once) and mix on LOW speed just until incorporated.  Remove from the stand and use the rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.

Divide batter (I used the bowl from the mashed bananas to hold half of the batter).

To half the batter, add the cocoa and the melted chocolate and stir to incorporate.

I used scoops (one for the plain batter and one for the chocolate) to measure out the batter, alternating them.

Use a table knife to gently swirl the batters together.  As a final touch, I spooned about 1/4 cup of Nutella into a sandwich bag, cut a small hole in one side, then squeeze some Nutella on top of the batters before baking.

Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes.  Use a cake tester poked in the center to check if it's done.

Interesting flavors in this moist bread and the addition of the chocolate was definitely a great idea...if I do say so.  Enjoy!