Banana Bread with Cinnamon Mascarpone

Yields: 8-10 servings

Time: Prep 10 minutes, Cook 60-70 minutes

Over-ripe bananas have become a quarantine staple in my household; banana bread has been the easiest way to use them up. But… after loaf 3 or 4 of plain, semi-dry banana bread I began looking for ways to elevate this classic confection. The addition of greek yogurt, mascarpone cheese, and a lot of butter makes this bread luscious and ultra-moist. It’s perfect with your morning coffee or as an after dinner treat, without being too sweet.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. bread flour

• 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp. plus one pinch kosher salt

• 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

• 1 c. light brown sugar, packed

• 1/2 c. whole milk greek yogurt

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, divided

• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed

• 2/3 c. chopped pecans (optional)

• 8oz. mascarpone cheese, brought to room temperature

• 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 c. powdered sugar, sifted

Special Equipment:

• Stand mixer

• Loaf pan

Directions

Step One:

Preheat oven to 350º.

Step Two:

Whisk together flours, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl and set aside. Crack eggs into another small bowl and set aside.

Step Three:

In a stand mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth (using the whisk attachment on a medium-high speed works best). Reduce mixer to low and add in greek yogurt, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, and nutmeg. Lastly, add in eggs one at a time, making sure the first is totally combined before adding the second.

Step Four:

Using a spatula, fold in chopped pecans by hand, being careful not to over mix the batter. Pour batter into a well greased loaf pan (cooking spray or butter is fine). Lightly tap pan on a hard surface to get rid of any air bubbles that may have formed.

Step Five:

In a small mixing bowl, fold together mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, powdered sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt. Evenly spoon cheese mixture on top of batter. Sprinkle about 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon on top. Using a chopstick, incorporate the cinnamon into the cheese mixture until nicely marbled.

Step Six:
Place loaf in oven on middle rack and bake for 60 minutes. Test with a knife for doneness. If the knife does not come out clean, bake for another 5-10 minutes. Once fully baked, let rest for 10-15 minutes. Then, remove banana bread from pan and cool on a wire rack. Cool fully before slicing. Serve straight up, with coffee, or warm with a scoop of your favorite ice cream!

Substitutes

The moistness of this bread comes from the full fat greek yogurt. However, other household items can give you the same result. Sour cream or crème fraîche will give you the same silkiness that the yogurt would. You could also use the same mascarpone from the topping or even just plain cream cheese!