Coconut Banana Bread

I'm just going to start by tooting my own horn and saying this is the best thing I have baked, ever.  Yes, I know hard to believe considering I have baked about 5 things ever but, seriously, this bread is insane.  Moist, flavorful and utterly amazing.  I tweeted right after I took my first bite, "I'm never making normal banana bread again, ever" and I seriously mean it.  This stuff is good.  So good.  Like I ate 4 pieces just standing over the counter good.  Thank God Mr. Schwartz doesn't like banana bread because there would have been an all out brawl for the last piece.  Not kidding.  

I did pretty much follow this recipe step by step since I'm not really a baker.  I didn't have self rising flour so I added more baking soda as directed.  It turned out perfectly if I do say so myself.  In preparation of my next loaf, I'm sitting bananas out to die a slow death on our counter.  You should do the same.  

Musical Selection: It Girl by: Jason DeRulo. This song makes me feel like I'm 16 again, getting ready for  school dancing around in my bathroom. 

 This is what you will need + canola oil.  Yeah, this is why I don't take pictures of everything right off the bat like some fancy bloggers do..I tend to forget things, like every time I forget things.

 Anyway, start by combining the sugar and oil in a large bowl.

 Add the eggs and mix together.

 Pour in the vanilla.

 And almond extract.  This really adds an amazing flavor to this bread...soooo good. Give this a good mix.

 Next, sift together the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside, for now.

 Yep, these nanners have seen way better days.  Gross. No one eats these things in our house.

 Mash em up and combine with the coconut milk.  I used the reduced fat kind and if you haven't gotten the drift yet--it turned out amazing.

 Give that a good stir as well. This smells heavenly.

 Pour it into the oil, eggs and sugar mixture.  I kinda didn't pay attention to the directions and plopped it all together.  I was supposed to alternate with the dry ingredients. No worries, it turned out.  So don't mess with alternating, mix the wet ingredients then....

 Mix in the flour mixture.  I did this in three batches.  Put 1/3 in, mixed just until combined, added 1/3 then mixed, 1/3 then mixed until fully combined.

It will look like this.

 Then add the flaked coconut.  Yum.

 Spray your loaf pan.  Mr. Schwartz picked up this Pam with Flour stuff and it is quite amazing.  Pam, wanna sponsor me, I promise I'll do more baking.  Just saying.

 Pour the batter into the pan and bake for what seems to be an eternity.  I think it ended up being about an hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean.  That would have been a good picture...oops.

 After the longest wait of your life, this beautiful loaf of heavenly goodness will be all yours.

Don't share, I won't tell. 

Coconut Banana Bread 

1/2 cup vegetable (or canola) oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups self rising flour (If using all purpose flour, increase baking soda to 1 tsp)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 medium overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 cup light coconut milk
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut (or shredded coconut)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

In the bowl using a wooden spoon mix the oil and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. 

In a separate bowl, stir together the mashed banana and the coconut milk. Mix the bananas and coconut milk with the oil, egg and sugar mixture.

Gradually mix in the dry ingredients.  I added mine in thirds.  Pour 1/3 of the flour mixture in, stir until combined, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, stir, add remaining flour mixture and stir to combine.  Stir in the flaked coconut.

Pour the batter to the sprayed loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour – 1 hour and 15 minutes, when a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Recipe (slightly adapted) from: here