Coconut Banana Bread

After years of dreaming of this recipe, my mother finally re-found it among her archives and we made it not once, but twice! while I was there for a week last month. The coconut-banana bread of my memories was the only banana bread I really ever wanted (although I did find a thoroughly delicious commercial banana cake at the 7-11s in Thailand) and now that I have this recipe, banana bread may not be baked in my oven any other way. So happy to finally have it.

From Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads, as originally written.

Ingredients:

1 C. flaked coconut

1/4 C. butter or margarine, at room temperature

2/3 C. sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

3 T. milk

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. almond extract

2 C. sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C. mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)

Directions:

1. Prepare a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, greased or Teflon, by lining with greased wax paper cut to size.

2. Toast the coconut on a baking sheet in a moderate over (350F) until lightly browned, 15 minutes. Stir the flakes occasionally and keep a watchful eye on them so they don't burn. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Leave the oven on.

3. In a large mixing or mixer bowl fitted with the flat beater cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the milk, lemon juice, and almond extract. 

4. Sift the flour again into the mixing bowl with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend thoroughly.

5. Work the bananas into the mixture and gently fold in the toasted coconut. (Reserve a large pinch of coconut to sprinkle on the top of the loaf.)

6. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan, pushing the dough into the corners and leveling the top with a rubber scraper.

7. Bake until light brown, 1 hour. A metal skewer or wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf should come out clean. (If using a convection oven, reduce heat 40 degrees.)

8. Remove bread from the oven. Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely before serving.