I made two batches of the bread; one with chocolate chips and one without.  The bread is much more moist than other banana breads I’ve made, and not as dense.  The plain bread is just sweet enough, and is delicious toasted with a little spread of butter.  I would add some toasted pecans or walnuts next time.  The chocolate chip version was also tasty, but I prefer my banana bread without chocolate.  Call me crazy.

Yogurt Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick (4-5 tablespoons) butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 or 3 very ripe bananas
• 1 cup vanilla or plain yogurt (fat free is fine)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease and sugar a 9×5 loaf pan.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until creamy.
3. Add in eggs, one at a time and mix well.
4. Mix in yogurt and vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and powder and cinnamon if using.
6. Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients a little a time, then stir in chocolate chips if using.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes.

There is a freezer bag with 18 bananas in my freezer.  I was about to place 6 more soft, blackened beauties in there today when I thought, “This is silly.  Why don’t I just bake some crazy delicious banana bread?”  My favorite banana bread has coconut and pecans.  It is so very decadent.  Almost dessert like.  You should definitely try it.  Seriously.

This banana bread also contains coconut, but with the addition of buttery macadamia nuts and sweet pineapple this banana bread becomes…Hawaiian banana bread!  I love the way that it has made my house smell during its hour long baking time.  I adapted a recipe from epicurean.com to create this bread.  The amounts of the ingredients are the same, I just made some substitutions: walnuts replaced by macadamias, a cup of all purpose flour traded in for a cup of whole wheat, and I added a cup of shredded coconut.

I love banana bread sliced and eaten plain, but banana bread sliced, buttered and broiled is tremendously delicious.  The contrast of the crunchy top and soft interior is lovely.  Try it both ways and let me know what you think.

I found a great way to mash my bananas when I made this bread.  Turns out that a potato masher is a great way to mash your bananas to a perfect smooth consistency.  I love finding new ways to use things in my kitchen!

The combination of flavors in this bread is great.  Sweet pineapple, mellow coconut, buttery macadamias all mixing with delicious banana.  Feel free to change the macadamias to any nut you like, but I think they make this bread a bit different than other banana breads.

Hawaiian Banana Bread

Adapted from epicurean.com

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup macadamia nuts – chopped
• 3 eggs – beaten
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups mashed bananas – (about 5)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 can crushed pineapple – (8 oz)—drained
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and pineapple; mix well.
3. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in macadamias and coconut.
4. Spoon batter into 2 greased and sugared 8×4″ loaf pans.
5. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees F. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pans.