Black-and-White Banana Loaf

Have you ever started making a recipe only to find out that you forgot to double check to make sure that you have enough of a staple ingredient in your fridge? That happened to me when I made this. Chelle and I saw this recipe in Dorie's cookbook and decided that we should give it a try. As we got started on the recipe I soon realized that I had no milk in the fridge. I was in the middle of the recipe, what do I do? Then I remembered that I had some powdered milk in the cabinet that I had bought for a previous recipe so I went ahead used that. Thank goodness that was stashed away in the cabinet.


This recipe came together nicley, it was the hour and a half bake time and the cool time that did me in. I hate waiting for baked goodies to come out of the oven and cool. I was dying to see how beautiful my swirl on the inside of the loaf looked. It was a little more chocolatey than I would have liked but I guess that is my fault for mixing up to much of the chocolate batter.


This bread was ok but nothing amazing. I think that could have been my fault though. I had no ripe bananas on the counter on in the freezer when I made this so I bought some just that were just starting to get brown spots and microwaved them in hopes I would come out with the same flavor as a super ripe banana. I think next time if I come across this prooblem I'll try subbing banana baby food since it does use ripe bananas. Ok, enough of my rambling, here is the recipe. :)

Black-and-White Banana Loaf
Source: Dorie Greenspan, Baking from my home to yours, pg 232

Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 ½ ripe bananas, peeled
Squirt of fresh lemon juice
Grated zest of ½ a lemon
1 tablespoon dark rum
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk

Directions
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of the other.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with the lemon juice and zest, then stir in the rum.

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.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining stick (8 tablespoons) 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. The batter will look curdled, and it will continue to look curdled as you add ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the flour mixture, mixing only until it is just incorporated. With the mixer running, pour in the milk, and when it is blended, add the remaining dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl and mix in the mashed bananas. The batter will look even lumpier.

Pour a little less than half the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate and stir to blend. Drop alternating spoonfuls of both batters into the prepared pan, then, using a table knife, swirl the batters together, taking care not to overdo it.

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. Serving: This cake is good cut thick or thin, served plain or with some ice cream. It’s very good with coffee or tea and especially good with chocolate milk, hot or cold.

Storing: Wrapped in plastic wrap, the cake will keep for 4 to 5 days at room temperature; wrapped airtight, it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.

Playing around: If you’d like to add a little more texture to the cake as well as another flavor, add 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans to either of the batters.