Banana Nutella Loaf
Banana Nutella Loaf takes a classic banana loaf and adds generous swirls of chocolate hazelnut spread through the sponge. Soft, moist and easy to make, it’s a simple loaf cake that’s perfect for using ripe bananas and enjoying with a cuppa.
If you’ve got a couple of overripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl, banana loaf is usually the first thing that comes to mind. It’s one of those easy bakes that’s quick to throw together and always turns out soft, moist and full of flavour.
This Banana Nutella Loaf builds on that classic banana loaf base, with generous swirls of chocolate-hazelnut spread running through the sponge. Some melts into the cake as it bakes, while some stays slightly gooey, creating ribbons of Nutella in every slice. Inspired by my youngest son, who is a big Nutella fan. Since banana loaf is something I bake fairly often, adding a few swirls of Nutella just made sense.
If you’re looking for something a little more traditional, my classic Banana Loaf recipe keeps things simple and lets the natural banana flavour shine.
For this version, though, the Nutella adds a richer, more indulgent twist without making the recipe any more complicated. Spoonfuls of Nutella are layered through the cake batter and gently swirled before baking, creating that lovely marbled effect through the loaf and across the top.
For the best flavour and texture, be sure to use bananas that are nicely ripe with plenty of brown spots. They’ll mash easily into the batter and add extra sweetness, helping keep the loaf soft and moist. And if you enjoy experimenting with different flavours, you might also like my Biscoff Banana Loaf, which swaps the chocolate-hazelnut for the warm caramelised flavour of Biscoff spread.
Whether you slice it up for an afternoon cuppa, pack it into a lunchbox, or enjoy it slightly warm for dessert, this Banana Nutella Loaf is a simple bake that feels just a wee bit special.
Tips for Nutella Banana Loaf:
• Use Nice Ripe Bananas: Bananas with lots of brown spots are ideal for banana bread. They’re softer, sweeter and mash easily into the batter, helping give the loaf its soft texture and rich flavour.
• Don’t Overmix the Batter: Once you add the flour, mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make the loaf a bit dense instead of lovely, light and soft.
• Warm the Nutella Slightly: If your Nutella is quite firm, give it a few seconds in the microwave to loosen it slightly. This makes it much easier to spoon and swirl through the batter.
• Swirl Gently: Use a butterknife or skewer to lightly swirl the Nutella through the batter. A few gentle swirls are plenty – overdoing it will mix the Nutella fully into the batter instead.
• Check the Centre Before Removing from the Oven: Banana loaves can look done on top before the centre has fully baked. Insert a skewer into the middle – it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If there’s still batter, give it a little longer.
• Leave to Cool Before Slicing: It’s tempting to slice into it straight away, but letting the loaf cool in the tin for a while helps it firm up and slice more cleanly.
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Banana Nutella Loaf
INGREDIENTS
- 2 Bananas (ripe)
- 140 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 55 g Butter or Margarine (softened)
- 1 Free-range Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 170 g Self-raising Flour
- ½ tsp Baking Powder (Baking Soda)
- 4 tbsp Nutella
EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pre-heat your oven to 190°c (170°c for a fan-assisted oven, Gas Mark 5 or 375°F) and grease & line a 900g (2 lb) with greaseproof paper.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Add the sugar, butter/margarine, egg & vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder, mixing until all combined.
- Pour half the batter into your pre-lined loaf tin and smooth into the corners.
- Warm your Nutella in the microwave for about 10-20 seconds to soften it slightly. Drizzle a couple of spoonfuls over the batter in the loaf tin before adding the remaining batter on top.
- Drizzle the remaining Nutella on top of your loaf before stirring the batter with a skewer to create the marbled effect.
- Bake in your pre-heated oven for 40 minutes until golden on top. Leave to cool in the loaf tin and serve in slices.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
NOTES:
Storage:
Store your Banana Nutella Loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. Keeping it well covered will help prevent it from drying out.Freezing:
Banana loaf freezes very well. Allow the loaf to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in cling film or foil and freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze it whole or in slices. Leave to thaw at room temperature before serving.Substitutions:
Chocolate hazelnut spread works best for this recipe, but other similar spreads can be used. If you don’t have Nutella, another chocolate hazelnut spread will work just as well.Nutella banana bread is a variation of classic banana bread, with swirls of chocolate-hazelnut spread baked through the loaf. The rich Nutella pairs perfectly with sweet ripe bananas, creating a soft, moist banana loaf with streaks of chocolate throughout.
Yes, any chocolate spread will work in place of Nutella. Simply spoon it over the batter and gently swirl it through the loaf before baking. If you fancy trying a different flavour, you could also use Biscoff spread instead – my Biscoff Banana Loaf is a great example of this combo.
Banana bread and banana loaf are essentially the same thing. The name seems to depend on where you are, but both refer to a soft loaf cake made with mashed ripe bananas.
Nutella can sink if the batter is too thin or if large spoonfuls are added in one place. Dropping smaller amounts across the batter and gently swirling helps keep the chocolate spread evenly distributed. Warming up your Nutella beofre swirling can also make it easier to work with.
Yes, banana Nutella loaf freezes very well. Allow the loaf to cool completely, then wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Free-from & Vegan:
Gluten-free: For a gluten-free banana Nutella loaf recipe, simply switch out the self-raising flour for gluten-free self-raising flour. At the time of publishing this recipe, Nutella is considered gluten-free, but it’s always worth double-checking before serving to those with coeliac disease.
Nut-free: My banana loaf recipe doesn’t use any nuts, but of course, Nutella does. You can easily swap the Nutella spread for a nut-free chocolate spread, though. Just be sure to check the ingredients that it is definitely a nut-free chocolate spread, and not a different take on Nutella.
Vegan: For a vegan banana loaf recipe, simply use a dairy-free margarine instead of butter and a tablespoon of applesauce instead of an egg. Unfortunately, Nutella is not vegan but there is a plant-based Nutella now available in the UK. Alternatively, a vegan chocolate spread can also be used.
N.B. Any advice or suggestions to make recipes “free-from” or vegan are purely that – suggestions. Please be careful to double-check all ingredients individually, taking extra caution when serving to those with allergies & intolerances.
For more info on common food allergies, please see food.gov.uk | For more info on coeliac disease, please see coeliac.org.uk | For more info on a vegan diet, please see vegansociety.com
Originally published in October 2017. Updated in March 2026.
Thank you to Naomi Seiler for creating the updated photos.
The best banana loaf. So easy to make and comes out great every time!
Very scrumptious. Easy and very quick to make. Thanks for a great recipe.
Great recipe. Grandkids love it. Also tried it with melted Reece chocolate bars, went down a storm, with the older ones.
Do I mix the ingredients in electric mixer?
Hi, I would like to substitute honey for the sugar. Can you recommend what amount I would use? Would I need to add anything else such as Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)? Thank you