Marbled Banana Nutella Cake

Nutella and I go way back. It all started in my friend Lee's kitchen. My household was made of whole wheat and vegetables but Lee's was made of wonders such as soup in a cup and Nutella. Once Nutella and I met, we made a habit of meeting over toast every time I went to Lee's which was pretty much everyday. 

This relationship could not last forever. Eventually we drifted apart. Tears. It was almost as tragic as Atonement. I revoke that statement, that movie devastated me but that is for another time and place. But we got together again in Paris. At the end of the day I would settle down once again with toast , but brioche toast now, and hit up the Nutella. 

We parted again. Life got the best of us and he spent his days in the pantry and I spent mine eating bacon. However, we hang out a lot now and our relationship is casual. When it comes to baking Nutella, I have found that it doesn't do it justice. The flavour is never strong enough for me. He should be front and center. So instead of incorporating him in, he stands on his own. And this was perfect. 

Marbled Banana Nutella Cake

banana cake

1 1/4 cup mashed, very ripe bananas (about 3 huge)

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup butter, melted*

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

nutella swirl 

1/2 cup nutella

1 egg

decoration

confectioner's sugar

Preheat the oven to 375º. Grease two 6 inch circle pans or one 8 x 8 inch square pan. In a large bowl, beat together the bananas and sugar. Mix in the eggs, butter and vanilla until completely combined. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir just until combined. In a small bowl, combine the nutella and egg. Stir until fully combined. If using the two circle pans, add a quarter of the batter to each. Drop 3 tbsp of the nutella mixture on top of the cake batter. Repeat with the other pan. Top with the remaining batter. Drop 3 more tbsp on top of the batter. Repeat with the other pan. Using a knife slowly swirl the nutella into the cake batter. Just give it a few quick stirs so that large nutella swirls remain. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. A cake tester should come out with barely any crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and let them cool on wire racks or dig right in. Serves 8 healthy pieces.

To add the heart decorations, take a small piece of parchment paper. Using an approximately 1 1/2 inch heart cookie cutter, outline the cookie cutter onto the parchment. Cut out the hearts. Place on the cake. To secure the hearts on the cake, use toothpicks to pin them down. Sift confectioner's sugar on top of the cake. Using tweezers or very nimble fingers, remove the parchment hearts. Now dig on in. 

* So I have made this in the past without butter. Weird, right? Actually it was good but it is a well known fact that butter makes everything better. Ask any scientist you know.. as long as they are not a nutritionist.