Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 ripe bananas, peeled
  • squirt of fresh lemon juice
  • grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum
  • 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup whole milk

Directions

  1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.
  2. Butter a loaf pan, dust it with flour and place it on a baking sheet.
  3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a small bowl, mash the bananas with lemon juice and zest, then stir in the rum.
  4. Melt the chocolate and two tablespoons of butter together.
  5. In the stand mixer beat the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter until creamy; add the sugars and beat until light and smooth.
  6. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  7. Add vanilla.
  8. Add half of the flour mixture and mix only until incorporated.
  9. Add the milk while the mixer is running and once it’s blended add the other half of the flour mixture.
  10. Scrape the bowl down and add the bananas.
  11. Pour a little less than half of the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate and stir to blend.
  12. Drop alternating spoonfuls of both batters into the prepared pan and then use a table knife to swirl the batters together (just a little bit).
  13. Bake for an hour and 20 or 30 minutes, until the cake tester comes out clean.
  14. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes before unmolding, then cool at room temperature right side up on a rack.
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