Banana Coconut Walnut Bread

I think I’ve found my new favorite Banana Bread! This has got to be THE most flavorful and moist banana bread I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. The recipe comes from one of my favorite eateries in Comfort, Texas called High’s Cafe & Store…a darling little place with fabulous food! If you’re ever in the area, do yourself a favor and stop in! They’ve just come out with a great little cookbook, too, called High Made Food.

I think the secret to this banana bread is baking the bananas “in their skin”, then cooling them before peeling and adding them to the batter. Whaaaaat, you ask? Yep, I’d never heard of doing that either, but boy, does it make a difference! Baking the bananas intensifies the flavor and the sweetness! What you’ll get is the most moist and flavorful banana bread you’ve ever tasted. Can we get a big AMEN to that??

Banana Coconut Walnut Bread

Makes 6 medium loaves

Recipe from High’s Cafe & Store, Comfort Texas

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup toasted walnut pieces
• ½ cup coconut (I used unsweetened coconut chips)
• 6 very ripe bananas, baked and cooled
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 cup vegetable oil

Preparation:

For the bananas: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prick 6 ripe bananas (NOT peeled) with a fork, and place on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes, then remove and let cool.  They will be black and very sweet!

In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, soda and salt.  Add walnuts and coconut, and mix well.  In a separate bowl, add bananas and sugar and mash well with a potato masher, leaving some chunks of banana.  Add vanilla, eggs and oil and mix well.  Add banana mix to the flour mix and use the masher to blend together.  Portion into 6 prepared medium loaf pans (2 ½” x 5″).  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, rotate and bake another 20 minutes.  Bread will be slightly pulling away from the sides and just set to the touch.  Cool at least 20 minutes before unmolding.

 

Liz’s Tidbits:

• This recipe makes 6 medium-sized breads or 2 large. The batter can also be used for muffins.
• These freeze really well for up to about 4 months!  Cool completely, then wrap each loaf in plastic wrap several times.  Then, either wrap in foil or slip into a freezer bag.

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