Stripy Chocolate Peanut Butter Loaf
- 2/3 cups unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cups natural peanut butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
In large bowl, beat butter with granulated sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in peanut butter. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture. Add milk; stir until smooth. Transfer half of the batter to separate bowl. Whisk cocoa powder with 3 tbsp water until smooth; fold into one bowl of the batter mixture until combined. Spoon generous 1/4 cup of the chocolate batter into bottom of parchment paper-lined 9- x 5-inch loaf pan; jiggle pan or gently dab batter with spoon to spread; repeat with 1/4 cup of the plain batter. Repeat layers, alternating between the two batters. Bake in 350 F oven until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 75 to 85 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Transfer loaf to rack. Whisk icing sugar with 1 tbsp water until smooth; brush all over top of warm loaf. Let cool completely. Make ahead: Wrap in plastic wrap and store for up to two days or overwrap in foil and freeze for up to one month. For a school-safe, nut-free version of this loaf, use an equal amount of soy nut butter or sunflower seed butter in place of the peanut butter.