If your bananas are not covered in brown spots they are not fully ripe and sweet enough.

You can stick your unripe, yellow bananas (with the peel on) on a baking sheet while the oven preheats to 350°F.

This will turn the bananas soft and sweet. The skins will turn black. Do not leave the bananas in the oven more than 10 minutes.

First, preheat your oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well then set aside.

Using a fork, mash two large bananas well then add them to a second bowl.

Add the milk, oil, and vanilla and whisk well.

Add your wet mixture to the dry and using a spatula, mix until all of the dry bits have been absorbed.

In a third bowl, combine the cocoa powder and 7 tbsp of hot water. Mix until it becomes a paste.

Set aside.

Add about half of the banana bread batter to the chocolate paste and mix well.

Grab your loaf tin and line with parchment paper and/or grease lightly with oil.

I like to grease the sides a bit and line the tin horizontally with some parchment paper overhang for easy removal (see image).

Using an ice cream scoop or 1/4 measuring cup, scoop the vanilla and chocolate batter into the loaf tin alternating between the two batters to create a marble effect.

Once all of the batter is in the loaf tin, use a butter knife to lightly swirl the batter to enhance the marble effect even more.

Top the batter with two bananas halves, if desired.

Bake the banana bread at 350°F for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean/with some dry crumbs left.

After the banana bread is done baking, allow it to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before removing.