Coconut

The Maui hotel where I work recently held a Go Bananas! banana bread bake-off contest.  Most people in Hawaii have a favorite banana bread recipe. I decided to enter mine and, lucky me, I won first place. Here is my recipe.

The judges based their scores on taste, texture and presentation.

Apple bananas are popular here in Hawaii.  They are both sweet and tart and are perfect for banana bread.

Mash bananas leaving a few small bits of banana for texture.

Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients until well blended.

Topping ingredients: Pecans, demerara sugar, sweet coconut.  Demerara sugar is a type of unrefined sugar with a large grain and light brown color.  It gives the banana bread a nice crunchy topping and adds a bit of sweetness.  Coconut adds an island touch to the bread.

To ensure your bread is moist and delicate don’t over mix the batter and test the bread with a wooden skewer after it has been in the oven for approximately 43 minutes.  It may need a few more minutes at this point however testing it will give you an idea of how much longer it needs to bake.  Test it before you think it will be done because if you let it go just a few minutes too long, there’s no turning back.  Let’s make banana bread.

Best Banana Bread with Pecans & Sweet Coconut

Makes two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaves

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil

2 cups mashed, ripe bananas (8 to 10 apple bananas)

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Topping Ingredients

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

finely chopped sweetened coconut (Baker’s sweetened coconut)

demerara sugar (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pans.  Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of each pan and butter the paper.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Add oil, eggs and mashed bananas and stir with a spatula until ingredients are nicely combined.

Divide batter into loaf pans.

Sprinkle the pecans and coconut evenly over the batter.

Bake on the middle rack for 10 minutes then sprinkle demerara sugar over the top of each loaf if using.  If you add the sugar before baking it will dissolve into the batter.  Continue baking for an additional 35 – 38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Set the timer!  Check the banana bread at the 35 minute mark to see if it is done.  At this point it will have been baking for a total of 45 minutes.  If the banana bread needs more time, check again in two minute intervals.  Once the banana bread is done remove pans to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes then remove bread from the pans discarding parchment paper.  Let banana bread cool completely.

Once cool, cut banana bread into thick slices and serve right away.  We love to toast slices of banana bread in our toaster oven directly on the wire rack until brown and crispy on the edges then serve with a few pats of butter.  Divine!