At first glance, I know this recipe sounds overwhelming. Because you have banana and lime and then coconut? But dudes, it is le awesomeness. Seriously. It’s one of my and my husband’s favorites. And it’s pretty darn easy too. I found this from Cooking Light and have made very few changes because frankly, this recipe just kicks ass.
So let’s stop talking about it and get down to business.
Ingredients
For the bread:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1.5 cups ripe smashed bananas (about 3)
1/4 cup sour cream (low fat is fine)
3 tbsp dark rum (apple juice will work if you’re not into the booze)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 lime zested
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup flaked coconut
For glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 limes worth of juice
(p.s. Two of my bananas were from the freezer, so they’re a totally different color than the other…)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray
2. Beat butter and sugar until well combined. Add bananas, sour cream, rum, vanilla and the zest of a lime (use the smallest holes on a grater to get just the bright green part off the lime) and combine well.
It’ll look really gross when you’ve got it well mixed.
3. Add flour, soda and salt (the original recipe says to combine these before mixing them in with the batter, I never do this, I just make sure to evenly distribute all the stuff over the top of the wet mixture before mixing it all together) and mix until just combined. Mix in 1/3 cup of the coconut (saving a little for the top).
4. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle the top with remaining coconut.
5. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick (or if you’re cheap like me, a thin steak knife) comes out clean. Darker pans cook a little faster, but if you’re getting too much color on top, you can throw an aluminum foil “tent” on top of the pan to save the top from burning (I’ve not had to do this, but just as a general baking rule).
6. While the bread is baking, get all the juice from 2 juicy limes (you can do more if you want). I usually get about 1/3 of a cup total. Add powdered sugar (more or less to get your desired consistency and depending upon how much juice you get out. Whisk together, but if you’re like me, the powdered sugar will never not be lumpy unless you run it through a sieve first, and I’m far too lazy for that. So just do the best you can.
7. After the bread is done, let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then place it on a cookie sheet with edges, lined with aluminum foil, so your juice isn’t going to run off onto the counter. Or floor. Or cabinet doors. Or all of the above. I like to then use a fork or toothpick and make a few holes all over my warm bread. And then, pour that juice on top. And let it sit and absorb that juice for a little while.
8. Remove from glaze pan and serve at your discretion. It’ll go fast. Beware.
The only adaptations I can even come up with would be, if you’re so blasphemous, would be the addition of nuts or subtraction of coconut. But I promise, it’s wonderful as is.
Bon Appetit!