Happiness in a jar

I am a self-proclaimed jar junkie. Any promise that comes in a jar, whether that is beauty, youth, health or wealth, I'm usually the first person in line to get one. I admit that most jars I've acquired in the past do not deliver their promises. This would leave me dissapointed in the jar and in myself for being a victim of advertisement over and over again. I just don't learn. But when I discovered Nutella for the first time, this jar has delivered its promise of creamy nutty chocolate with every spoon, finger tip, knife tip and the occasionall chopstick to get to the last bits at the bottom of the jar. And since Ms. Adventures in Italy and Shelley At Home in Rome have declared February 6 as World Nutella Day, I am more than happy to salute this miracle jar of happiness.




Nutella Banana Cake


INGREDIENTS:
300 grams all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
50 grams brown sugar
150 grams butter
80 ml vegetable oil
1 tub of TOTAL yogurt
2 ripe bananas (approximately 400 grams) - mashed
2 eggs
1 tablespoon Nutella, slightly melted over very low heat


Preheat oven to 200°F. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Blend brown sugar and butter in a mixer. Scrape side of bowl. Add yogurt, banana, eggs and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the melted Nutella and stir just until a marbled pattern develops. Pour batter into a lightly oiled and floured pan. Bake 40-50 minutes at 200°F or until cake tester comes out clean.