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Nutella Swirl Espresso Banana Bread
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nutellaespresso

Shared by TopBanana on Oct 16, 2026

Adapted from a recipe by: Eat At Maude's

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Nutella Swirl Espresso Banana Bread

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Difficulty
Medium
Serves
8
Ready in
2hr 5mins

Browning the butter gives this banana bread a nutty depth, and swirls of Nutella melt into gooey chocolate pockets. The espresso surprised me most. It doesn't drown out the banana, it makes it taste more like banana. Add espresso cream cheese icing and good luck stopping at one slice.

Equipment

  1. Rubber Spatula (opens in a new window)
  2. Measuring Cups (opens in a new window)
  3. Liquid Measuring Cups (opens in a new window)
  4. Hand Whisk (opens in a new window)
  5. Hand Mixer (opens in a new window)
  6. Mixing Bowls (Medium & Large) (opens in a new window)
  7. Parchment Paper
  8. 9×5 Loaf Pan (Preferably Light Color To Help The Banana Bread Not Brown Too Much) (opens in a new window)

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang so the loaf lifts out easily.

  2. Melt the stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat (save the extra tablespoon for later). Stir constantly as it foams, and watch for golden-brown bits forming on the bottom and a nutty smell. As soon as you see and smell both, take it off the heat and pour it into a large heatproof bowl, scraping in all the brown bits. While it's still warm, stir in the extra tablespoon of butter and the espresso powder. Let it cool completely.

  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

  4. Add the oil and both sugars to the cooled brown butter and whisk well. Mix in the mashed bananas, then the eggs and vanilla. Finish with the sour cream, mixing until smooth.

  5. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk in alternating additions, starting and ending with the dry. I like to switch to a rubber spatula here and fold just until combined. Don't overmix.

  6. Pour half the batter into the pan and dollop on about half the Nutella. Swirl it gently with a knife. Add the rest of the batter, dollop the remaining Nutella on top, and swirl again. If your Nutella is too thick to swirl, microwave it in a heatproof bowl for about 15 seconds, just make sure it's not hot when it goes in.

  7. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes. Every oven is different, so go by doneness rather than the clock: a toothpick should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs, or the center should read 206°F (96.7°C) on a thermometer. If the top is browning too fast around the 45-minute mark, tent it loosely with foil. Let the loaf cool for at least 30 minutes.

  8. For the icing, warm 1 tablespoon of milk or cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 10 seconds. Stir in the espresso powder and let it cool for 5 minutes.

  9. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and espresso milk, and beat until smooth and fluffy.

  10. Spread the icing over the cooled loaf, then slice and serve.

Notes

Storage: Once iced, keep the loaf in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days. Un-iced, it'll keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. Store any leftover icing separately in the fridge.