Banana Bread with Coconut and Pecans

I just came back to freezing cold reality after a long and relaxing vacation surrounded by palm trees. So you can hardly blame me (despite this being the season for virtuous New Year’s resolutions and all) for craving something warm and comforting, something with a hint of tropical flavor, to ease the transition. I’m talking about this heavenly banana bread…I’ve been making it for years, but it’s never tasted better than right now.

Banana and coconut are a natural – make that fantastic – combination, and this delicious quick bread is a great way to enjoy them. It’s also ridiculously easy to make…you can throw the ingredients together in twenty minutes, then just let the oven do its work.

While my go-to banana bread recipe is wonderfully plain and simple (perfect for those prefer-it-plain eaters), this one is a bit heartier and more complex with the subtle flavor of unsweetened coconut and crunchy toasted pecans. It’s wonderful right out of the oven but it’s just as good – if not better – toasted for breakfast the next day.

So if you’re holed up inside and seeking a little comfort food, this might be just what the doctor ordered.

New Year’s resolutions are great…but then again, so is banana bread.

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Banana Bread with Coconut and Pecans
Printable Recipe

Makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork until smooth (about 3 bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut (available at Whole Foods)
½ cup pecans, toasted* and chopped (you can also use walnuts, or a combination)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

2. Mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the melted butter and sugar until just combined. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not over mix. Gently stir in the coconut and nuts (the batter will look lumpy).

4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, until tester inserted into center is relatively clean (tester should not be totally dry; the bananas keep it moist) and top is golden brown. Do not overcook. Let cool in pan for about ten minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool. Slice while still warm or store in an airtight container. Once cool, toast individual slices for best results.

*To toast pecans, spread on foil lined baking sheet and bake in 350-degree oven for 4-5 minutes.