Chocolate Marble Coconut Pecan Banana Bread

Do you have a couple of homely speckled bananas crowding your fruit bowl? Time to make banana bread! But while the same old same old banana bread is a nice comforting reminder of childhood, I thought it would be fun to pimp it up a little. So I had a rummage around my pantry and came up with this beauty. It’s flavourful, moist, chocolaty and delicious!

Chocolate Marble Coconut Pecan Banana Bread

ingredients:

• 250 g flour
• 100 g pecans, coarsely chopped
• 30 g shredded coconut
• 150 g sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large overripe bananas, mashed well
• 60 ml plus 2 heaping Tbs plain full fat yogurt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 84 g butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 20 grams cocoa powder

to make the banana bread:

1. Place your oven rack on the lower middle position and heat the oven to 180℃. Grease the bottom and sides of a 23 x 13 cm loaf tin and line with baking paper.
2. Spread the pecans and coconut on a baking sheet and toast for about 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes to avoid burning. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda salt, coconut and pecans.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the mashed bananas, 1/4 cup yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla.
5. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined. The batter will look thick and chunky.
6. Take about a third of the mixture and put it back into the medium bowl. Add the cocoa powder and yogurt and stir until well blended.
7. Using 2 spoons, alternately dollop the batters into the baking tin. Tap the bottom on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Take a skewer and swirl it around the mixture in the tin a few times to create a marbled effect.
8. Bake about 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Store at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 days.