Bananarama – Moist Coconut Banana Bread

 Banana bread, like raisin toast, is a bit of an institution here in Melbourne. Most cafes have their own variety, and they range from dark and gingerbread-like, to banana cake in a loaf shape, to light and luscious varieties.

The cafe at the back of the building I work in – SMXL, sells the most wonderful coconut banana bread – it comes in inch thick slices and is pale, moist, unctious, and positively tropical tasting! They serve it toasted with too much butter. Perfection.

A while back I worked hard trying to figure out how SMXL made their banana bread. And this is the recipe that I’ve come up with. I’m pretty happy with it – it has just the right texture and taste. My colleagues agree that I’ve gotten the recipe pretty close.

Moist coconut banana bread

Moist coconut banana bread

Now that it’s getting cooler, it’s a good time to have delicious warm toasty coconut banana bread around the house. It also freezer is extremely well, so I like to take it in slices and have it in the freezer at work for desperate moments.

I went to Queen Victoria market this morning, and while looking for bananas, found a few that I just couldn’t resist. You don’t often see banana twins, but here are three!

Twin bananas for coconut banana bread

Twinned bananas

Half of them I will use in smoothies, with almond milk and almond butter, because that is really delicious. But the other half is going into my moist banana coconut bread. Now that I think of it, a banana almond butter smoothie with a slice of banana coconut bread would be the complete breakfast.

Coconut Banana Bread

Ready to mix

Coconut Banana Bread

Ready for baking

Cut into inch-sick slices, this banana bread recipe makes about 12 servings.

Moist Coconut Banana Bread

ingredients

2 cups self raising flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup thread coconut
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
100g melted butter
2 eggs
3 mashed bananas (only just ripe)
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

mixing

Combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in separate bowls. Make a well in the dry mix, pour the wet mix into this and mix gently until just combined. Don’t overmix!

Pour into a deep loaf pan (25cm x10cm) lined with baking paper.

Bake at 180 degrees C for about 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

This loaf (assuming you don’t guts the lot on the first day) will keep for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge and freezes perfectly.

Coconut Banana Bread

Moist Coconut Banana Bread

Enjoy! xxx