Lemon Coconut Banana Nut Bread with Warm Honey Butter Glaze
I get asked all the time how I come up with new recipes. What's my inspiration? It may sound strange but I am really inspired by the items that are about to go bad in my pantry. I can't stand to waste food so if something is on it's last days, I'll figure out a recipe to use it.
I had lemons (getting pretty ripe) left over from these Lemon Blueberry Muffins and coconut left over from my Easter Bunny Cupcakes. I also had about 4 bananas that had turned black—either ready to peel and put in the freezer for smoothies, or ready for banana bread. Banana bread it is!
Jacobs walked in the house and instantly said, "Banana bread!" It's smell is intoxication and unmistakable. It's delicious all by itself ... but I have to tell you, a glaze of butter and honey takes it to a whole different (incredible) level ...
I mean, what isn't good drizzled in butter and honey?
Add a little toasted coconut and this banana bread just got a whole lot fancier.
Eat it for breakfast, eat it for dessert, give it as a gift, make it for an open house. Just make sure you make a little mini loaf just for yourself—you won't want to share.
I made one recipe into four mini loaf pans so Jacobs and I can enjoy one (if I decide to share) and I can give the others away. Here's the recipe so you can make them for your family and friends ...
Lemon Coconut Banana Nut Bread with Warm Honey Butter Glaze
1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 large eggs 3 ripe bananas
grated lemon zest of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
toasted shredded sweetened coconut (for garnish)
Honey Butter Glaze:
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
grated lemon zest of 1/2 a lemon
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan (or four mini loaf pans).
In the bowl of a mixer with a whisk attachment, cream sugar, brown sugar, oil and yogurt. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix until combined.In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in lemon zest and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.Change mixer attachment to paddle and add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and mix on low until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears. Stir in chopped pecans.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using mini loaf pans, bake for 30 to 35 mins. Set aside to cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack.To make Honey Butter Glaze, mix melted butter with honey and lemon zest in a small bowl. Drizzle over the bread and top bread with toasted coconut.
