B is for Banana Bread

Banana Bread? What's so great about that? You could google it, find a recipe, and have it made in 20 minutes. Well, hate to break it to you, but that's true of just about everything these days.

But, let me tell you. This isn't just ordinary Banana Bread. This is Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze. *mouth water* Difference is the key. Banana Bread? Meh. Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze? Mmm, I'll take some of that, thank you. The key to success is being different.

Now, don't make this any more complicated than it needs to be. Do you already have the perfect banana bread recipe you love? Perfect! Add a few cups of coconut to the batter, and shake a little on top before baking. When it's done, you'll want to take some to the neighbors just to show off its looks. But, to top it all off, make a lime icing with powdered sugar and lime juice, and drizzle it on top. The finished product?



This is a picture from http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/04/coconut-banana-bread-with-lime-glaze/ where I got the original recipe. If you don't have a banana bread recipe, or want details on how to do the above mentioned, this website has it all, including visuals.

I've made this bread more than a few times, and here are a few tips I've found in the process:

• It will make your life so much easier if you mash the bananas first, (I just mix them up in my Bosch/mixer and call it good) then add the wet ingredients into the mixer with your banana poop. :) I also mix my dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then dump them into the wet ingredient mixture. Separating the dry and wet ingredients isn't super necessary, but since I'm usually making several loaves at a time, it just makes it easier. *And mix as little as possible.* Don't over-mix it! 

• When mixing the glaze, I don't measure. I just dump around a cup of powdered sugar in a bowl, and add a tablespoon or two of lime glaze. This is the important part: it doesn't take very much lime juice! You think you need a lot, but you really do not. It takes a lot of patience to get it mixed in, but if you just stir for a while, it will eventually combine, and make the right consistency. But seriously, I only use one MAYBE two tablespoons, and I'm making four loaves at a time.

• Again with the glaze, try for the right consistency. You'll find out what's best after making it a few times, but you can get a general idea before you start. It should drip off your spoon, but shouldn't be watery. If it's watery, it just soaks into the bread, and doesn't get the look you're going for. If it's too thick, you won't be drizzling anything. Also, make sure the bread is COMPLETELY cooled before you drizzle, otherwise it will melt and soak into the bread, and it wont look like you made any glaze at all. 

• If you don't have enough bananas, substitute! I've used apple sauce to cover a few bananas before, and I almost liked it even better! It was lighter and fluffier. You can also mess with the ratio of bananas and sugar depending on how sweet your apple sauce is.

• It's OK to use rotten bananas! I use bananas that have gone completely black, and it doesn't mess with the bread. In fact, it's better to use them at least slightly browned if not completely brown/black. It makes it sweeter. Whenever our bananas go bad, it only means it's time for banana bread. Quit wasting all those brown bananas!

• If you add the coconut, it'll browned way faster than the bread is cooked. For this particular recipe, I cook it for forty minutes, then cover it with tinfoil (shiny side down) and continue baking for another twenty minutes. The tinfoil keeps it from browning, but allows it to keep cooking.

Good luck with you're baking!

-Jannallred