Banana and Coconut Bread

Banana bread is something I make quite often, as we never seem to eat bananas before they are over ripe. Not that this is a bad thing, because banana bread is basically just melt, sift, mash, mix and cook. No creaming butter and sugar in sight - yay!

I modified the recipe this time, as I was out of milk, and didn't feel like braving the rain to get more. I found a can of coconut cream in the cupboard, and away I went. I also added one more banana than usual, to use up all those I had, and added some desiccated coconut to make up for the added moisture. The result? A stronger banana taste and the lovely texture of coconut. I would have preferred a more coconut-y flavour, but there were no complaints when I served this for breakfast!

1 and 3/4 cups self-raising flour
1/4 cup plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
almost 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
165ml coconut cream
2 eggs, lightly whisked
50g butter, melted, cooled
3 overripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 180C. Spray an 11 x 21cm base loaf pan with cooking spray and line with baking paper, allowing it to overhang the two long sides.

Sift the flours and cinnamon. Add the sugar and coconut, and make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl, mash bananas, add milk and eggs, and combine well. Add banana mixture and melted butter to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour into loaf pan, smooth the surface, and bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy simply sliced or toast in sandwich press and spread with butter!
Recipe modified from taste.com.au