There’s a definite chill to the mornings over the past few days and although we are still enjoying some fabulous weather, many of us are clinging desperately to the last of the English summer.
My attempt to squeeze the last few drops of sparkling summer effervescence from these late August days has been boosted by this heavenly recipe  for Coconut Banana Bread from Jenn Quillen at the rebelchick.com

It’s quite a simple equation:

Coconut + Banana + cake mix = a great big slab of golden sunshine!

Okay, so it might be more accurate to describe it as Coconut Banana Bread, and you don’t have to have a great big slab of it, but I defy you to not have a very healthy slice, or two!

I’m not a huge fan of bananas in cakes, but the addition of coconut delivers a truly delightful cake that has converted me.

Bake this while the morning is still crisp and fresh and by the time you’re itching to get out in the sun it will be ready.  Slip on your flip flops, cut a slice of Coconut and Banana Bread and enjoy in the sunshine with a nice cup of tea, or something more exotic if you like…

Here’s the recipe.

Jenn’s recipe uses American measurements so I’ve converted cups to grams.

Ingredients

• 225g of coconut oil (after a bit of a search I found this in my local supermarket)
• 4 large very ripe bananas
• 175g of light brown soft sugar
• 2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 60g of granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 300g of plain flour
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 110g of dessicated coconut

Directions

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C (Gas Mark 3) and lightly grease a loaf pan, alternatively line with baking parchment or greaseproof paper.

Mix together the sugars, bananas, coconut oil, eggs and vanilla extract until creamy and smooth.

Add the flour and baking batter and mix on a low speed for about a minute until all the ingredients are combined and the batter is smooth.

Add the coconut and gently mix.

Pour into your lined loaf tin, allowing room for the cake to rise.

Bake for 1 hour 10 mins and insert a skewer to test if your cake is cooked.  If the skewer comes out clean your cake is ready. Leave in the tin until cool enough to handle and then (if you can stop yourself devouring it the moment it is cool enough) remove from the tin, peel away the baking parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Tagged: August Days, Banana, banana bread, banana bread recipe, Cake, coconut, Coconut Banana Bread, Coconut oil, English Summer, Glorious, Hawaiian-style, Summer, summer fun with the kids