While citrus fruit does have a lot of acidity, it does have its place in sweet breads and muffins. Most of us do enjoy biting into a blueberry muffin and getting that unmistakable pop of juice and tartness from the berries against the moist vanilla cake.
Now this particular recipe does not contain any berries. It is the crushed pineapple which lends itself to the same flavor experience. Instead of a backdrop of vanilla cake, it is banana bread that is laced with a little coconut flavor. One slice is quite a mixture of tropical flavors and textures. The sprinkle of coconut adds a wonderful touch of chewiness to the other textures, so don't leave this step out.
This tasty banana bread is great when paired with tea or coffee to start your day, but it also makes for a tasty afternoon snack. The recipe makes 2 -9x5 inch loaves, one for your family and one to give as a gift.
Cabana Banana Bread
adapted from Recipelink.com
Ingredients
4 mashed medium size bananas
1/2 cup of shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 cup of crushed pineapple (well drained)
1 cup pineapple yogurt
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter, room temp.
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the interior of 2 loaf pans and line bottom and two longest sides with parchment paper. Grease the surface of the parchment paper also.
In a medium size bowl, sift together the salt, flour and baking soda. Set aside.
Fill a bowl of a stand mixer with the butter and brown sugar. Beat until mixture resembles wet sand. Add the mashed bananas and mix on medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat for 30 seconds after each addition. Then stir in the vegetable oil.
Add both extracts, yogurt and crushed pineapple to the batter. Beat on medium speed until evenly distributed, about 1 minute. Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold in sifted ingredients. Fill the prepared pans evenly with the batter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of coconut evenly over the top of each loaf.
Place in oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Place pans on rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and let cool another 15 minutes and take off of parchment paper. Let cool completely prior to slicing and serving.
Tips and Notes:
1. The more ripe the bananas the stronger the banana flavor.
2. This batter can be made into mini loaves, just adjust the bake time.
**LAST YEAR: Gothenburger Cookies**