Nutella Swirl Banana Bread Recipe on Food52 (2024)

I developed this banana bread recipe using the the 3-2-1 method, which is the idea of using 3 parts flour, 2 parts sugar, and 1 part fat. Although most baking ratios as measured out in weight, this is made extra simple by measuring out the ingredients using a ½-cup measuring cup. This means you can easily whip up delicious banana bread without a recipe whenever the craving hits.

You’ll also notice that in this recipe I chose to list melted butter instead of oil, which I used in the video tutorial on Instagram. That’s because I like to use them interchangeably depending on what outcome I’m looking to achieve. Because butter becomes a solid at room temperature, if you use melted butter in the recipe, the banana bread will be denser and have a slightly richer flavor.

Alternatively, since oil is a liquid at room temperature, banana bread made with oil will have a lighter, moister, and more cake-like crumb. Experiment with both types of fat to see which you prefer–you could even try it with browned butter or olive oil instead!
—Nea Arentzen

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper (alternatively grease all sides and dust with flour).
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until only small pieces of banana remain. Add the eggs, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla and whisk until combined.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined.
4. Transfer ½ cup of the batter into the small bowl, then mix in the Nutella.
5. Pour half of the plain batter into the prepared loaf pan, then dollop all over with half of the Nutella mixture. Add the remaining plain batter over top, then top with the remaining Nutella mixture. Use the back of a knife to swirl the two batters together.
6. Bake the Nutella Swirl Banana Bread until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean, about 50 minutes. Let the banana bread cool slightly before slicing.

Recipe by: Nea Arentzen