If you’re looking for a banana bread with a bit of a tropical vibe, this one will do it for you. The added coconut in the recipe is not overwhelming at all.  It just adds a little bit of coconut flavor and texture to an already delicious banana bread. The recipe makes two loaves, so you can eat one now and gift the other.  Or freeze your second loaf to eat sometime later.

How to freeze banana bread:

For the freshest banana bread to be eaten later, plan on freezing it!  Wrap your banana bread loaf several times in plastic wrap.  Then put it into a large freezer zip baggie and store it in the freezer until ready to eat.  It should stay just fine in the freezer for up to 4 months.

About Unsweetened Coconut:

Dried, shredded, unsweetened coconut is what you need for this recipe.  Sometimes it’s hard to find unsweetened coconut in a regular grocery store.  I recommend you go to a market that sells dried fruits and nuts in bulk.  They will most likely have this type of unsweetened coconut, and then you can scoop out exactly what you need for the recipe (2/3 cup) and just purchase that.  No leftovers will be sitting in your cupboard! While you’re at that bulk bin market, you might as well pick up the nuts you need for the recipe too.  Walnuts or macadamia nuts are suggested.  You’ll need 2/3 cup of those as well.

About Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil is the second element of coconut flavor in this banana bread.  If you’re not familiar with coconut oil, it’s oil that has been extracted from the meaty part of a coconut.  You will find it next to the other oils in your market.  It’s usually in solid form since the melting point for coconut is 76 degrees.  If it’s very warm in your house, it may begin to liquify!  You do need coconut oil in liquid form for this recipe.  I just stick mine in the microwave for a bit to warm it enough to turn it into liquid.

If you’re one who likes using up ripe bananas to make banana bread quite often, you may wish to shove your classic banana bread recipe aside for now and try this Coconut Banana Bread.  It’s always fun to try a new variety!

Here are a few more recipes for coconut lovers that you might wish to check out:

Coconut Buttercream Frosting Overnight Oats with Toasted Coconut and Blueberries Chewy Coconut Bars Thai Coconut Chicken Soup Coconut Shrimp with Mango Coconut Dipping Sauce The Most Amazing Coconut Cake Toasted Coconut Frozen Yogurt Creamy Coconut Polenta