Banana cake with Nutella and Hazelnuts

I was in a bad mood, a really bad mood.  The kind where my husband stays outside to split wood even though it is 15 below and a 25 mile an hour wind and when the bad mood was not his fault (well, maybe a little bit). Even the dogs stayed by the back door and weren't underfoot. There was only one thing to do.  Open the Nutella and get a spoon.  About half way though the first spoonful, I spied the very ripe bananas on the counter and decided I needed a warm from the oven banana cake.  And why not add some nutella?  And I think I have a handful of hazelnuts left-over in the freezer.  So, this cake was born, my mood improved with the warm smell of banana and chocolate baking in the oven, and my husband thought it safe to come inside.  It turned out to be a good night after all.

Banana cake with Nutella and Hazelnuts
  adapted from Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?

3 very ripe bananas
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 orange
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baing soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
1 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease and flour a 9 X 2-inch round cake pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas, granulated sugar and brown sugar on low speed until combined.  With the mixer still on low, add oil, eggs, yogurt, vanilla and orange zest.  Mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.  With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combines.  Stir in the chopped hazelnuts.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Drop spoonfuls of Nutella over the top.  Take a knife and swirl the Nutella through the batter. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

January 29, 2012     Daylight   hours,   minutes,   seconds     Current Temp. -40 ºF