Nutella Banana Bread

With a creamy Nutella center and cinnamon hazelnut streusel topping, this Nutella banana bread is a decadent version of my favorite banana bread. Perfectly moist and full of chocolate in every bite, the most difficult part about this recipe is waiting for it to cool before eating!

I have a love for Nutella. I’ve swirled it into cheesecake, turned it into fudge and even made my own from scratch. Nutella is one of my favorite ingredients to bake with since it adds great flavor and moisture to any recipe. With a creamy texture similar to a nut butter, Nutella works in any recipe you’d use peanut butter for, like a banana cake or bread. 

Another one of my favorite ingredients to bake with is bananas. I often find myself with ripe bananas in my kitchen, turning them into breads and cakes for a sweet treat. Bananas add moisture and a natural sweetness to baked goods, and pair perfectly with the nutty chocolate flavor of Nutella. This Nutella banana bread is my answer for what to make with Nutella and bananas. It’s sweet, moist and full of melty chocolate in every bite.

Making the streusel

The first thing I do when making this Nutella banana bread recipe is to make my streusel topping. It’s a similar recipe to my favorite Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake but I add in some toasted hazelnuts to match the Nutella flavors in the banana cake. 

Simply mix all the ingredients together, until the mixture lumps into unevenly sized crumbs. The longer you mix the larger your crumbs will be, and I actually prefer a few large crumbs, but be careful not to overmix or you’ll end up with solid crumbs that don’t crumble. Set the mixture aside in the refrigerator while you prepare the Nutella and banana batters.

The best bananas

For a perfect banana bread, you need to use the ripest bananas you can find. Look for very spotty, almost black bananas that have no green spots. If you find it difficult to mash them with a fork then chances are they aren’t ripe enough (a tip: you can always quickly ripen up bananas in the oven at 250ºF for 15 minutes).

To make the cake

To your mashed ripe bananas, mix in the wet ingredients, except for the Nutella, and then whisk in the dry ones. This is your base banana bread batter. Set it aside while you prepare the Nutella filling.

To make the Nutella a similar consistency to the batter, heat it up in the microwave for 15-20 second until slightly warm and drizzly. You want it to be thin enough that you can spread it over the cake batter without it sinking to the bottom of the pan.

Pour half of the banana bread cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Drizzle half of the warm Nutella on top and then repeat. Your last layer should be the Nutella. Using a knife, very gently swirl the batter together. It might look a bit messy, but it will bake up perfectly fine and be delicious.

Baking the cake

Take your streusel out of the refrigerator and gently sprinkle it on top. Place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Since the Nutella banana bread is large, it takes time for it to fully bake and you may need to cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil after about an hour to prevent the top from browning too much.

Once fully baked, make sure to allow the banana Nutella loaf to cool completely on a wire rack before eating. You want to make sure the Nutella has time to firm up and set so it doesn’t make a mess when you cut into it.

Storage

I like to store my breads and cakes in the fridge to keep them fresh for a few days. If you do the same, take it out an hour before serving so the cake will be at room temperature and the Nutella will be soft and creamy.

This Nutella banana bread is one of my favorite ways to use up ripe bananas. The added streusel topping is an extra bonus and adds a nice crunch to the moist and fluffy cake. With no mixer or hard-to-find ingredients required, this Nutella banana bread recipe is definitely one to have on hand anytime you find yourself with ripe bananas.

Nutella Banana Bread

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Ingredients

Streusel:

• 1/2 cup (70g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , optional
• 1/4 cup (3/4 stick or 55g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts (preferably roasted and peeled), roughly chopped

Cake:

• 3 large (about 300g) peeled bananas
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) canola oil
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup (200g) Nutella

Instructions

1. To make the streusel: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Add butter and mix with your fingertips until the mixture lumps into unevenly sized crumbs. Add hazelnuts and mix. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

3. To make the cake: Place bananas in a large bowl and mash them well using a fork or potato masher. Add oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract, and mix until combined. Add the other ingredients, except for Nutella, to the bowl, and whisk just until combined. Set bowl aside.

4. Place Nutella in a small bowl and heat for 15-20 seconds in the microwave until slightly warm.
5. Pour half of the cake batter into prepared loaf pan. Drizzle half of the warm Nutella on top of the batter (avoid adding large spoonfuls of Nutella so it won’t immediately sink into the bottom of the batter). Top with remaining batter, and then remaining Nutella. Very gently swirl the batter using a knife (not too much). Top with streusel.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes (it sounds like a long time, but this is a big cake and it will take some time to fully bake). To prevent the top from browning too much, you can cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil after about 50-60 minutes of baking. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
7. Store cake in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from Bake from Scratch magazine, Recipe by Laura Crandall