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I couldn’t decide if this should be filed under “cake” or “bread” in the recipe index. What do you think? I’m not sure why they call it banana “bread” because it’s sweet like cake. Loaf bread, loaf cake, chocolate cake, banana bread – this treat has a … banana split personality! Whether or not I figure this out – I can tell you all about the taste of this moist, chocolatey, banana bread with nice coconut overtones.
I was looking for another way to test coconut oil specifically in a baked dessert. I combined butter and coconut oil along with brown and granulated sugar – the end result was deliciously moist and rich without being overly sweet. The banana flavor was not lost in this recipe and was nicely complimented with the shredded coconut.
This recipe makes two loaves. My favorite group of taste-testers reviewed a plain cake and one that was iced with a coconut glaze. The glazed loaf disappeared a little quicker, but both were gone in a flash.
Iced or plain?
With or without toasted coconut? I say “with” please!
Did I mention the chocolate chips? You can never go wrong with chocolate chips in chocolate cake. Just saying …
Don’t forget your PIN!
- 3 large ripe bananas mashed
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa (not Dutch processed)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 8 ounces (1 cup) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, slightly melted
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Toasted coconut for garnish if desired
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees (for dark or glass pans - preheat to 350 for all other loaf pans)
- Spray two 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mash bananas with a fork and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa, soda and salt in a bowl, set aside.
- Dissolve the espresso in the vanilla and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs until creamy and light.
- Add the expresso and vanilla, and sour cream. Turn the mixer on low and gradually add the combined melted butter and coconut oil. Once all the butter is added, turn the mixer speed to medium and blend until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Using a spatula, add the bananas to the sugar mixture and fold until blended. Add the flour in two batches blending with the spatula until smooth after each addition.
- Fold in the shredded coconut and chopped chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter into the two prepared loaf pans and bake immediately for 45-50 minutes. Check the loaves after 45 minutes using a toothpick inserted in the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done. Do not over bake!
- Cool the bread in the pans until no longer hot (about 30 minutes). Remove the loaves from the pans and allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack. Drizzle with a coconut glaze and sprinkle with toasted, unsweetened coconut just before serving.
- For the Glaze:
- Combine all the ingredients for the glaze and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over 1 loaf cake. Double the glaze recipe if you prefer to ice both cakes.
Do you have big plans for the weekend? We’re still working on a bathroom renovation and painting the living room. Our house is a total mess! We could use a nice long weekend to paint, clean and our garden needs tilling and planting. I would also like about 25 giant bags of mulch. I love the smell of fresh hardwood mulch. Are you gardening? Maybe taking a nice vacation or binge watching House of Cards on Netflix? Whatever you do I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Tricia
Tricia! we definitely think alike! I made one similar to this – but not with chocolate. Yours looks so decadent enough to call it a cake- instead of a bread!
Loaf cake – that’s what I finally decided 🙂 Yummy with our without icing!
Your photos are incredible, I can’t stop staring! I love chocolate with coconut, and when you add in the banana, it’s just over the top amazing.
Aww thank you so much Sue! Hope you had a great weekend 🙂 Congratulations again on your 4th of July pops getting lots of attention!
I’ll vote for dessert with that lovely glaze and coconut topping! It looks so moist and delicious, Tricia!
It is great both ways but feels much more like dessert with the drizzle 🙂 Hope you have a lovely week Susan
All the things I like in one beautiful loaf! yum yum!
Amalia
xo
Thanks Amalia – me too! Love all these flavors
What a great blend of flavors. I think I’d really like this.
It is a tasty cake Maureen! Hope you have a wonderful week.
Sounds and looks very good!
Thanks Monique – have a great weekend!
this is such a swoon-worthy cake!… I love how simple it is yet how wonderfully tasty it is too. I mean, come on… banana, coconut, chocolate… hello perfect combo! Love the texture too. Adorable!
Thanks Dom – hope your UK weather is amazing and you have a wonderful weekend!
I think if you call it bread, then a portion size is two slices. 😉 I refuse to decide on iced or plain. Plain for care packages. Iced for at home. I plan on both. 🙂 The combination of tropical flavors plus chocolate is always a winner. Sour cream (or Greek yogurt) makes loaf breads/cakes so moist and irresistible! The photos are mouthwatering, Tricia!
I like the way you think Wendy – two slices it is! Thanks so much for stopping by and hope you have a wonderful weekend.
OH MY TRICIA! This looks WONDERFUL! 😉 I say WITH icing, WITH chocolate chips & WITH toasted almonds! LOL YUM!!! Spring Cleaning continues here….. Took a little break today, but back into the cleaning tomorrow! 🙂 STILL raining here…..no sunshine YET! 😉
Thanks Becky – you are so sweet! Hope your cleaning goes well 🙂 Such a bunch of work!
It looks so delicious Tricia! The only cake that I don’t normally add icing is my chocolate pound cake, so I would say iced and coconut, love them both and they go together very well! I like to add the chocolate chips to my chocolate cakes for the added extra melted chocolate surprise 🙂
Thanks so much Michael. I was worried this would be overload – but not at all – great classic flavors! Have a wonderful weekend.
Bread or cake, I call it delicious! Looks super amazing Tricia. I’m so wishing I was your taste-tester!
Thanks Chris – have a lovely trip to London!
I think we must be on the same band width lately! At least our ingredients have been! This sounds great Tricia! And as far as my weekend goes I’ll be in Chicago for a family thing. Which is a good thing considering that it is snowing here. Gloomy and gray and wet! Not to mention chilly!
It is funny how we are in tune with ingredients – but maybe not weather. Enjoy your visit in Chicago! Hope the winds blow the gray and gloom out of there soon!
I wouldn’t worry so much about how this deliciousness is called, the real important thing is that it looks and sounds so good that I’m terribly hungry now.
What about” chocolate-banana- coconut delight” 🙂
Thanks Daniela – I like your name – the delight on the end says it all! Have a lovely weekend.
Hmmm … if it’s iced, I say it’s cake! What a beautiful loaf (regardless of what you call it). I’d love to be one of your testers!
Iced was the favorite Beth. I hope you have a lovely weekend and thanks for stopping by!
Tricia – what a beauty! I love the moist yet firm texture (and definitely yes on the chocolate chips inside!). I think it’s such a smart way to bake with coconut – adding it to bananas and having that glaze and the coconut flakes on top just rounds it out so nicely. Normally, I eat cakes/breads like this plain but visually, the glazed ones are always so stunning, as it is here. As for the cake/bread debate, I think recipes are just called “bread” whenever it’s baked in a loaf pan. I make almond “bread” all the time and it sure seems like cake to me. Either way, delicious is delicious. : )
Thanks Monica – I was very happy with the way it turned out! You are probably right about the loaf pan making it look more like a loaf of bread – but this is cake for sure 🙂
wow Tricia, this is one of the best banana cakes I have seen in a long time! So moist and divine!
Thanks Angie – I was very happy with the end result. Have a lovely weekend.