My Favorite Banana Bread

Once again, I have extremely ripe bananas laying around.  Today I wanted to make my favorite banana bread which takes a bit of planning because the recipe requires buttermilk and unsweet shredded coconut, two items you may not have on hand.  It's worth the extra effort for this delicious treat.

Banana Coconut Nut Bread

Banana Coconut Nut Bread

(from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook)

3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
2 Tbs. vanilla
1 1/2 cups ripe mashed bananas (approx. 3 medium)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
1/2 cup buttermilk
non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat two 9"x5" loaf pans with cooking spray then line the bottom with parchment or wax paper and spray the paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, soda and salt.

In bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar and vegetable oil on medium-low until combined.  Beat in the flour mixture until combined.  Add vanilla, bananas, coconut, nuts and buttermilk and beat just to combine.

Divide batter between prepared pans.  Bake, rotating half-way through for 60-65 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes then remove loaves from pans and cool completely.