Black-and-White Banana Loaf

Marbled cakes are so pretty and easy to make.  This one is banana rum and chocolate flavored so it is also delicious.

I like my bananas just barely ripe, so I am constantly finding myself with bananas that are too ripe.  The best thing to do with them is make banana bread of some type.  I was excited to find this recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, which is a different twist on the typical banana bread.

For marbling you need two different colors of batter.  For this recipe you start by making the banana rum batter and then add chocolate to half of it.

Marbling is very easy.  Drop the two different batters by spoonful into the pan and run a knife back and forth a few times.  It can be tempting to keep going but if you over do it, everything blends together and it is not nearly as exciting.

Black-and-White Banana Loaf

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 ripe bananas, peeled
squirt of fresh lemon juice
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp dark rum
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 stick plus 2 tbsps (10 tbsps) unsalted butter, at room temp
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1. In a small bowl, mash the bananas with the lemon juice and zest, then stir in the rum.
2. Melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the butter together in a microwave oven or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.
3. In a stand mixer, beat the remaining stick (8 tbsps) of butter at medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes.  Add the sugars and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes, until light and smooth.  add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg, mixing only until it is just incorporated.  With the mixer running, pour in the milk, and when it is blended.  Scrape down the bowl and mix in the mashed bananas.
5. Pour a little less than half the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate and stir to blend.  Drop alternating spoonfuls of both betters into the prepared pan, then, using a table knife, swirl the batters together, taking care not to overdo it.
6. Bake for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Check after 30 minutes and if the cake starts to brown too much, cover it loosely with a foil tent.  Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it rest for about 15 minutes before unmolding, then cool the cake to room temperature right side up on the rack.

From Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

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