FOOD + ENTERTAINING
Christmas Brunch
MARBLED BANANA BREAD
Serves 8 to 10 (one loaf)
3 large very ripe bananas
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt
1 cup plus ¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup dark cocoa powder, sifted if
lumpy
¾ cup chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a
9- by 5-inch loaf pan, or coat it with a
nonstick baking spray.
Melt butter in a large bowl in the
microwave. Mash the bananas into
the melted butter until mostly smooth.
Whisk in brown sugar, egg, vanilla,
baking soda and salt until thoroughly
combined. Add 1 cup of the flour, stir-
ring just until it disappears.
Pour half of batter into a second bowl.
Into one bowl, stir the remaining ¼ cup
of flour and ground cinnamon. Into the
other bowl, stir in the cocoa powder
and chocolate chips.
Dollop batters in large alternating
spoonfuls into the bottom of the
prepared loaf pan. “Checkerboard”
the rest in layers (meaning that you’ll
drop a chocolate batter dollop on top of
a chocolate-free one and vice-versa until
both batters are used up). Use a butter
knife or small offset spatula to make a
few figure-eights through the batters,
marbling them together but just a little,
any more and the swirls may not look
distinct when you cut the cake.
Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a tester or
toothpick inserted into the center of the
cake comes out batter-free. (A melted
chocolate chip smear is expected, however.)
Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then run a
knife around the edge and invert it out
onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at
room temperature.
Recipe from Deb Perelman, Smitten
Kitchen
MAKE AHEAD
The banana bread will keep for up to 4
days at room temperature.
HOLIDAY 2017
75