Banana and Nutella bread

In order to tempt our children and their young friends to eat foods that they not only enjoy but which are also good for their health, we often have to resort to certain smart ploys to get the outcome we desire: in some cases, though, it is even possible to achieve this with desserts and cakes where the result is often very rich and indulgent. Take, for example, the American classic recipe for tasty and delicious banana bread: in this case, we can combine the irresistible delicacy of Nutella with the important nourishing qualities of banana, which is very rich in potassium and other substances beneficial to health. Even from the aesthetic point of view – in addition to how good it tastes - the end result is especially noteworthy: you get a marbled sponge cake that is utterly tempting from the very first glance.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Peel the bananas and blend them to create a smooth puree. Pour the puree into a food mixer along with the softened butter, mix together, and then add the two types of sugar, whisking constantly for a few minutes until you have a smooth paste. Add the eggs and mix them into the dough. Add the flour mixture prepared previously and whisk well until the mixture is thick and fairly firm. Remove half of the dough from the mixer and add Nutella to the remainder, continuing to mix. Preheat the oven to 200°C, line a loaf tin with baking parchment, and pour in the first half of the mixture. Then pour the other Nutella mixture on top and stir gently with a fork so as to form a marbling pattern. Bake for one hour, or until the crust is firm and dark brown. Do the toothpick test to check that the centre of the cake is dry and well cooked.