BANANA SPLIT BANANA BREAD

i scream! you scream! we all scream for... banana bread?

SWEET TEETH

neapolitan nation rise tf up!

My parents were never big on keeping many snacks or treats in the house, but they couldn’t resist stocking a freezer full of quarts of ice cream. The brand of these cartons changed frequently (to whatever was on sale at the Shoprite that week); however, the flavors remained relatively consistent. Black Cherry for my dad. Mint Chocolate Chip for my mom. And Neopolitan for me, my brother, and my sister to share.

Most nights, if we all behaved and finished our dinner without complaints, my dad would slip off into the kitchen and return expertly balancing five bowls. One by one, he’d slide the dishes across the table to land each scoop in front of its respective glutton. In a matter of seconds, we’d all devoured our dessert, often triggering a round of brain freezes. After we got done pressing our thumbs to the roofs of our mouths and cleared the table of our dirty (licked clean) bowls, my siblings and I would each disappear to our respective corners of the house, where we’d dream of indulging in just one more scoop.

Led by our sweet teeth, each of us would sneak undetected into the kitchen, where we’d choose our weapon (read: utensil), crack the safe that was the freezer, and snag the Neopolitan for just one more taste. By the time I’d completed my heist, the chocolate layer had already been whittled down a few millimeters, a sign my sister had already committed the same crime. I’d get to work on the strawberry, scraping off an undetectable amount and letting it melt on my tongue, leaving the vanilla for my brother to do the same—not because it was his favorite, but because he was the youngest and he often was stuck with our leftovers. After disposing of the evidence (putting the spoon into the dishwasher), I’d glide through the house and into the bathroom to brush my teeth for a second time before slipping back into bed, satisfied.

Inspired by our theft, I decided to steal the flavors of Neapolitan and fuse them with a banana bread to make a banana split of sorts. As is the case with the ice cream, the rich chocolate layer plays off the tart berry one, which plays off the sweet vanilla, all whilst the banana holds a beautiful melody beneath. A perfect slice if you ask me, especially when topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a gaudy red maraschino.

THE RECIPE

BANANA SPLIT BANANA BREAD

makes a one pound (8.5 x 4.5 inch) loaf cake

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups (288g) flour, divided

• 1 1/2 tsp (6g) baking powder, divided

• 3/4 tsp (3g) baking soda, divided

• 3/4 tsp (2g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt*, divided

• 3 tbsp (15g) Dutch process cocoa powder (I like Guittard’s Cocoa Rouge)

• 4 tbsp (12g) freeze-dried strawberry (or raspberry) powder**

• 3 extremely ripe* medium (~345g) bananas

• 8 tbsp (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, melted

• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

• 1 large (50g) egg

• 2 tsp (8g) pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup (115g) buttermilk

• Freshly whipped cream, for serving

• Rainbow sprinkles, for serving

• Maraschino cherries, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat & prep: Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a one-pound (8.5 x 4.5 inch) loaf pan with neutral oil before lining it with parchment, leaving a bit of overhang on the long side to easily lift out later.

2. Whisk together dry ingredients: Divide your flour between three medium-sized bowls (3/4 cup/96g in each), do the same with your baking powder (1/2 tsp/2g in each), baking soda (1/4 tsp/1g in each), and salt (1/4 tsp/<1g in each). Add your cocoa powder to one of the bowls, and your freeze-dried berry powder to another. Whisk each bowl to combine the respective dry ingredients.

3. Whisk together your wet ingredients: In a large bowl, mash your bananas with a fork. Add in your sugar and melted butter and whisk until combined. Add in your egg and vanilla and whisk until combined. Finally, add in your buttermilk and whisk the mixture until homogeneous.

4. Divide your wet ingredients and make your batter: Make a well in the center of each of your dry ingredient bowls, and divide the wet ingredients evenly among them (260g of wet into each). Gently fold each bowl until the wet ingredients are just combined with each set of dry, leaving you with a dark chocolate batter, a pink fruity one, and a pale vanilla one.

5. Bake: Layer your three batters into your prepared loaf pan in whatever order you desire. Alternatively, you can scoop alternating spoonfuls of batter into the pan for a marbled effect instead. Bake on your oven's middle rack for 65-70 minutes, or until deeply browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Let cool and serve: Let cool completely in the pan before lifting it out, plating it, and eating it with freshly whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry.

7. Leftovers?: Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes:

*If you’re using any other type or brand of salt (i.e. Morton, or sea salt), I suggest scaling back by half.
**Instead of buying strawberry or raspberry powder, I just buy a standard bag of freeze-dried raspberries and blitz them up. I use the leftovers in oatmeal, smoothies, or make a quick batch of Fruity Chocolate Shell. Also, I like the more vibrant color raspberry gives to the loaf, so I used that instead of strawberry, but either is great!

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