#22 Coconut Banana Bread

2 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tblsp) butter, softened
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c. mashed overripe bananas (about 3 large or 4 medium)
3 tblsp sour cream (I used reduced-fat)
1 c. sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted (see below)
1 c. chocolate chips

Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350. Generously butter two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pans and dust with flour.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Toast coconut by heating in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until light golden brown. Set aside.

Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, bananas, and sour cream, beating until just combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, beating until just combined. Stir in coconut and chocolate chips.

Divide batter between loaf pans. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.

We had all these bananas turning black on our kitchen counter, and Steve asked if I'd make banana bread. Recipe adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook. It called for macadamia nuts and lemon zest, neither of which I had, as well as unsalted butter. Steve's mom loves chocolate chips in her banana bread and since one loaf was for her, I threw them in. It sounded weird the first time I heard of it, but hey, chocolate anything is good with me! Steve wasn't so sure about the toasted coconut at first, but then he liked it. I think it would be good with macadamias, if you had them, or pecans, also toasted.