Marbled banana bread

Marbled banana bread

1 h 45 min
There is not one way to make a banana bread, and our marbled banana bread proves it. With a new take on two classics – banana bread and marble cake – we created a match made in heaven. Even though it is sweetened entirely with ripened bananas, it gets an irresistible sweet banana flavour mixed with swirls of chocolate batter. Its sweet taste, tender consistency, and beautiful marble effect make it perfect for serving to friends and family or enjoying as a sweet snack in your lunch box or an afternoon treat.
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 175°C (regular oven).
  • Mash five of the bananas with a fork but save one for garnishing. Whisk butter and banana with a hand mixer.
  • Add the eggs one at a time while whisking.
  • Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and fold the dry ingredients into the batter. Pour about ⅔ of the batter into a greased loaf tin (approx. 1 litre).
  • Fold cocoa powder into the remaining batter and mix it gently with the light batter.
  • Split open the last banana and place the slices on top of the loaf. Bake the marble banana bread in the bottom of the oven for about 1 hour.
  • Turn the marble banana bread out onto a wire rack and let it cool.
Enjoy!
Tips

Removing a warm cake from a tin can sometimes be a bit tricky. As such, you may need to use a knife or thin spatula to ensure the edges of your marbled banana bread are not sticking to the sides. Greasing your loaf tin using butter or cooking spray, however, greatly eases this removal process. The remedy you use to grease the tin may slightly affect the taste of your banana bread. Make sure to go for a flavour-neutral cooking spray if you decide to go for this option. Using butter is completely fine and will not change the flavour profile of this marbled banana bread as the recipe already calls for the use of butter.

Tips

If you are nervous that greasing the tin will not be enough for you to remove your banana marble bread, consider baking it in a non-stick tin or using parchment paper. Simply line the tin with a piece of parchment paper that is long enough for you to hold onto when you want to remove your marbled banana bread from its tin by lifting it out.

Questions about marbled banana cake

With our marbled banana bread recipe, you get a deliciously moist chocolate banana swirl loaf cake that will work both as an afternoon treat, a sweet snack, or a breakfast dish. Below you can learn more about marbled banana bread by reading our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the loaf cake.

What is a marbled banana bread?
A marbled banana bread is a variation on a classic, moist banana bread that takes inspiration from the well-known marble cake. Like a retro marble cake, a marbled banana bread has a decorative marble effect created using two different-coloured batters – a light one and a dark one coloured using cocoa powder. Our marbled banana bread also has baked pieces of banana on top, adding an even more intense banana flavour.
How to make a chocolate marbled banana bread?
Our marbled banana cake is a wonderful recipe for anyone craving a naturally sweet treat a little different from a classic banana bread. Create its decorative marble effect by swirling the two batters using a spatula and place the split banana on top before baking. Serve your marbled banana bread to friends and family as an afternoon treat with a hot cup of coffee or tea or bring a slice with you to enjoy as a sweet treat when you need a pick-me-up during a long day at work.
Can you freeze a marbled banana bread?
You can freeze an entire loaf, a partial one, or slices of your marbled banana bread. Wrap the amount you want to freeze in cling film and aluminium foil and place it in a freezer bag or airtight container. The cling film and foil protect your homemade treat from freezer burn and helps it retain its moisture in the cold environment. The marbled banana bread will last for up to 4 months in the freezer. Thawing it on the countertop will take 3-4 hours for a whole or half loaf. For slices it will be 30 minutes to an hour. Defrosting it overnight in the refrigerator is also possible.
How to store marbled banana bread?
The best way to store a banana marble bread is to cover it with a combination of cling film, aluminium foil, or beeswax and keep it on your countertop. This way, a homemade marbled banana bread will last for 3-4 days. Storing it in the refrigerator will not prolong its shelf life, rather it will make it deteriorate faster and dry out.

Ingredients

Ripe bananas
6
Soft butter
125 g
Eggs
4
Flour
175 g
Baking powder
1½ tsp
Coarse salt
½ tsp
Cocoa powder
1½ tbsp
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Beautifully marbled banana bread

Sweetened using ripe bananas, this marbled banana bread is sweet and has a moist crumb. The marble effect created by adding cocoa powder to part of the batter as well as the bananas on top make it stand out on any dessert table. Our decorative marbled banana bread is equally good as an afternoon treat, a sweet snack, or a breakfast dish and pairs well with a cup of flavourful coffee.

Are you on a banana kick these days? We recommend checking out our recipes for banana pancakes and banana muffins as well. We promise you; you will not be disappointed. Or have a look at our classic banana bread covered with dark chocolate and walnuts.

A classic with a chocolate twist

Normally, a classic banana bread recipe does not call for the use of cocoa powder. However, the intense chocolate flavour introduced by the dark cocoa powder complements the sweet, tropical banana flavour and softens the marbled banana bread's sweetness. A good cocoa powder has a slight bitterness and sharpness to it that may easily cut through other flavours. Using only a little, though, adds complexity without being overpowering.

Make a chocolate swirl banana bread

To make a great-looking chocolate banana swirl loaf cake, you must create a marble effect. Just like in a classic marble cake, this feat is achieved by making the perfect swirl. First, pour your light batter into the greased tin. Then pour the dark-coloured cocoa batter on top of this. Gently, using the handle of spatula, create the marble effect. Start in one corner of the tin and move the spatula handle from side to side in a zig-zag motion, swirling the two batters together. Turn your tin and repeat the motion going in the other direction. Do not disturb the batter of the chocolate banana swirl cake anymore as this may muddle the beautiful marble-like swirls.

Add your own touch

While walnut is the nut most typically paired with banana, pecans, cashews, and almonds also work very well with the sweet flavours of the tropical fruit. For a buttery, nutty flavour, go for cashews or pecans. Or opt for a slightly more bitter almond or walnut flavour. Chop up some of your favourite nuts or create your own special marbled banana bread nut mix featuring different ones. Add the nuts to the batter for a bit of crunch and texture.

You can also experiment with aging up your chocolate swirl banana bread by adding a bit of dark rum to the cocoa-infused part of the batter. Ripe bananas naturally have a subtle rum flavour. As such, adding a few tablespoons of your rum of choice will enhance this attribute and make the flavour profile of your banana marble bread more complex and adult by introducing a slightly smoky sweetness and a little bit of a kick.

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