Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

Have you seen it yet?

Wasn’t it wonderful. And hilarious. And inspiring. Or am I alone here?

Oh, sorry. I’m talking about the movie Julie & Julia. Perhaps you’ve heard of this little project that hit movie theatres recently?

I remember reading the book when it came out, way back in the stone ages of 2005 when I had heard of blogs but didn’t really pay much attention to them (no home computer and a super-busy job will do that to you, if you’re wondering how I decorated the cave I was apparently living in at the time). The book was fantastic, as was Julia Child’s “My Life In France”, which is the memoir that the other half of the movie is based on.

So I was beyond excited when my neighbor, Jennica, got us free tickets for an advanced screening of the movie (the perks of L.A., right?). It was an early morning screening, on a Sunday, and the theatre was so full that we had to sit in the very front row slouched in our chairs and with our heads tilted at an odd angle. But none of that mattered because I literally was as absorbed in watching this movie as a person can get. You have to see it.

What does any of this have to do with banana bread you may be asking? Well, nothing, really, if you must know. If the stars were aligned and I had my ducks in a row, I would’ve liked to cook something from The Art of French Cooking, as a sort of homage to Julie & Julia but I don’t actually own a copy of it, and I had bananas languishing in my kitchen that literally begged me to turn them into the most delicious bread that has ever come out of my oven. So, Boeuf Bourguignon will have to wait until the Fall, which seems like a more appropriate time to make it, and I’ll have to tell you about this, my secret weapon in the banana bread world.

Banana bread is banana bread is banana bread, right? Wrong. Don’t misunderstand me; I really don’t think you can go wrong with banana bread, in any way, shape or form. It’s just that this recipe happens to be my absolute favorite and I have never made it for anyone who hasn’t raved about it. I won’t lie; it’s the glaze. It seeps into the top and drizzles down the sides of the bread and the tangy-ness mixes with the banana-y goodness and it’s just, well, fantastic. Make it and try to tell me I’m wrong. I dare you.

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

From Cooking Light

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

3 tbsp dark rum

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Cooking spray

1 tbsp flaked sweetened coconut

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1-1/2 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stirring with a whisk to combine.

3) Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until just moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5" loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tbsp coconut.

4) Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

5) Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan.

6) Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over warm bread.

7) Cool bread completely on wire rack.

*Notes:

Apple juice can be substituted for the dark rum.