Chocolate Checkered Banana Bread

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan (or mini loaf pans, like me)! In a small bowl, combine the mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Set aside.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon into a medium bowl. Whisk together. Set aside.

3. Beat the butter and sugar on medium high until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Turn the mixer on low and combine the ingredient mixtures in thirds (a third of the banana mixture with a third of the flour, and so on).

4. In a small bowl, stir together the cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons boiling water. Add more water until the desired texture is reached. Transfer half of the batter to another mixing bowl and mix in the cocoa paste.

5. Drop alternating spoonfuls of the light and dark batters into the pan. Swirl the batters to make a more “marbelized” look (I kept mine like a checkerboard). Bake for 20 minutes, checking every 5 minutes afterwards, looking for a puffy and springy top. Mini loaf pans should bake for about 20 minutes, and full loaf pans should bake for 40-50 minutes.