Moist banana loaf with vivid matcha swirls, tender crumb, and balanced sweet-earthy flavor in each slice.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
05 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or melted unsalted butter)
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Matcha Swirl
09 - 1 1/2 tablespoons culinary-grade matcha powder
10 - 2 tablespoons milk (dairy or non-dairy)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper, then set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt until evenly combined.
03 - In a large bowl, mash the bananas and whisk in the granulated sugar, vegetable oil (or melted butter), eggs and vanilla until smooth and homogenous.
04 - Add the dry mixture to the banana mixture and gently fold with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain; take care not to overmix to preserve tenderness.
05 - Spoon approximately 1 cup of the plain batter into a small bowl, then stir in the matcha powder and the 2 tablespoons of milk until the mixture is evenly colored and smooth.
06 - Spoon half of the plain banana batter into the prepared loaf pan, dollop half of the matcha batter on top, then repeat with the remaining plain and matcha batters to build even layers.
07 - Use a butter knife or skewer to gently swirl through the batters in a figure-eight motion to create a marbled effect; avoid overworking the batter.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 50–60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
09 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing to ensure clean slices.
