Banana Bread with Coconut and Pecans
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Bananas and coconut are a natural combination, and this banana bread is a fantastic way to enjoy them!
Banana and coconut are a match made in heaven, and this quick bread is a delicious way to enjoy them together. Like classic banana bread, it’s a breeze to make: you can whip up the batter in just twenty minutes, and then let the oven do the rest. Enjoy it warm out of the oven, or toasted for breakfast the next day—either way, it’s simply wonderful.
“Best banana bread EVER! This is definitely a keeper and one that I will be proud to share in gift baskets!”
What You’ll Need To Make Banana Bread With Coconut And Pecans
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the bread. Measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the bread rise and become fluffy.
- Butter: Adds moisture and richness to the bread.
- Sugar: Sweetens the bread and helps create a tender crumb.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add richness.
- Very Ripe Bananas: Provide natural sweetness and moisture. The browner and spottier your bananas, the better.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the bread with its aromatic richness.
- Shredded Unsweetened Coconut: Adds a subtle tropical flavor and texture.
- Pecans: Contribute crunch and a nutty flavor, especially when toasted.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, add the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Whisk to combine.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the melted butter and sugar.
Mix until just combined.
Add the eggs, bananas, and vanilla.
Mix until combined.
Add the flour mixture to the bowl.
Mix on low speed until just combined. Do not over-mix.
Add the coconut and the pecans.
Stir to combine (the batter will look lumpy).
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center is relatively clean (tester should not be totally dry; the bananas keep it moist) and the top is golden brown. Let the loaf cool in the pan for about ten minutes.
Turn the bread out onto a wire cooling rack.
Slice while still warm or store in an airtight container. Toast individual slices for best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Banana bread, banana muffins, and banana cookies are best when your bananas are overripe, so you’re looking for them to be pretty brown and spotty. If your bananas are not quite ripe enough for baking, you can speed things up by placing them in a brown paper bag and folding down the top. The natural ethylene gas produced by the bananas is trapped in the bag, which accelerates the ripening process.
Sure! Banana bread will keep nicely covered with foil, at room temperature, for 3 to 4 days. Toast individual slices to get the same fresh-baked effect.
Yes, the bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap, or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. Crisp up individual slices in the toaster for a fresh-baked effect.
Absolutely! If you have overripe bananas and you’re not ready to bake, don’t let them go to waste. I typically freeze them in bags of 2 or 3, as mashed, they typically yield about 1 cup, which is what most banana recipes call for. Simply peel the bananas, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze. When you’re ready to bake, thaw them in the bag and then mash.
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Banana Bread with Coconut & Pecans
Bananas and coconut are a natural combination, and this banana bread is a fantastic way to enjoy them!
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork until smooth (from about 3 bananas)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped (see note below)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the melted butter and sugar until just combined. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not over-mix. Gently stir in the coconut and the pecans (the batter will look lumpy).
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center is relatively clean (tester should not be totally dry; the bananas keep it moist) and the top is golden brown. Do not overbake. Let the loaf cool in the pan for about ten minutes, then turn out onto a wire cooling rack. Slice while still warm. It will keep nicely covered with foil, at room temperature, for 3 to 4 days. Toast individual slices to get the same fresh-baked effect.
- Note: Toasting the pecans is optional but enhances their flavor. Simply spread the pecans on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap, or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 282
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Sugar: 19 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 109 mg
- Cholesterol: 51 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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When I first read this recipe and saw coconut as an ingredient, I was ready to return to my old and weary banana bread recipe. But then I thought, why not try this! And now, this is the only banana bread recipe I’ll make. Houseguests tend to gobble up a loaf in no time which gives me little choice but to make another. Even toasted it’s yummy! The coconut is not the least overbearing, but rather is complimentary by being the perfect twist to result in a far better banana bread than what I was baking years ago.
I made this at Christmas for gifts, now it’s on the rotation. Freeze it for breakfast & I also toast it, cube it, for salad croutons.
Is it possible to make this banana bread without the pecans?
Sure, Sharon – that’s fine! 🙂
One of many of my family favorite recipes!
This banana bread is amazing. I think the coconut makes the difference. I made it with GF flour for my daughter in law, it’s her favorite. I appreciate all the wonderful recipes you share. I think it’s time to make another loaf of banana bread. ♥️
I’ve made this several times and it’s my favorite banana bread recipe. My oven is awful tho so I always have to cook it longer….like 10-15 min longer to get the clean toothpick which then makes the crust a little browner than I’d prefer. I’ll keep playing with it. My husband loves it!
Hello from another Colorado baker. I recently reset my oven temp as it was 20 degrees off. If you happen to have a GE oven, resetting is super easy to do.
Really delicious! Followed recipe as written and it was amazing and moist. Was looking for a different kind of banana bread and this wasn’t too overpowering.
Please fix the bake time instructions since “bake 4-5 minutes” is wrong.
Hi Beth, I think you’re looking at the instructions for toasting the nuts. The bake time for the bread is 50-55 min.
Best ever bread I’ve done! I wasn’t actually expecting such an amazing result. This is the first recipe I do from your blog and now I can’t wait to try them all!!!
I made this bread and loved it! I’m notorious for letting bananas go bad and then throwing them away until I learned I could freeze them. When I thawed them to put in this recipe, they looked pretty gross, dark, and were a bit liquidy, but I used them anyway. I also used sweet coconut and toasted it with the pecans. One more note… I don’t have a mixer with a paddle attachment, I used my hand held mixer with beaters but, only when I mixed the butter, sugar, eggs, and then folded in the other ingredients with a whisk. Delicious!
Delicious! Used 1 c oat flour, 3/4 c coconut flour, and added a small handful of dark choc chunks! Only took 30 min to cook.