Recipe: Banana Coconut Bread for Pam

Every Thursday on the Good Food Blog we share a recipe from our archives.

Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid‘s book is Home Baking: The Artful Mix of Flour and Tradition Around the World, published by Artisan. They first shared this recipe for Banana Coconut Bread for Pam on December 27, 2003.

Photo by Gnuf

Keep reading for the full recipe…

Banana Coconut Bread for Pam

Makes 2 large loaves, lightly sprinkled with brown sugar.

• About 8 medium-to-large frozen bananas, defrosted, or very overripe bananas

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 2 cups sugar

• 1/4 tsp white or rice vinegar

• 3 Tablespoons dark rum

• 1 cup dried shredded unsweetened coconut

• About 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9″ x 5″ bread pans.

Puree the bananas (with their juice if using defrosted ones) in a blender. Measure out 3 cups and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vinegar and rum and beat briefly. Add the banana puree and the flour mixture alternately, about 1 cup at a time, beginning with the bananas, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in the coconut.

Spoon the batter into the buttered pans. Sprinkle the top of each loaf with about 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes; until golden. Let cool for 20 minutes, and then turn out of the pans onto a wire rack to cool completely and firm up.

* To freeze bananas, choose overripe fruit. Peel them and cut them into large chunks. Freeze overnight on a tray or in a container. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic bag, seal and freeze for up to 1 month. Place in bowl to defrost at room temperature, and save the juices.