At first thought you might be surprised to see coconut and lime paired with banana bread, but think about that tropical combination of lime, coconut, and banana and you’ll realize it’s a match made in heaven! This super soft banana bread is studded with coconut and I like to add just a touch of coconut extract, too. When baked up, it gets a layer of toasted coconut on top and then it’s drizzled with a sweet and tangy lime glaze. The flavor combination is unexpected and absolutely delicious!
Ingredients and Equipment Notes
- Bananas – choose bananas with peels that are deep yellow with brown spots. You might be tempted to cheat the ripeness scale here, but don’t. If you use bananas that are just regular-ripe (ready for eating) your bread will lack sweetness and flavor. For best results look for those spotty brown peels! Many times grocery stores will even sell bananas in this state in a discounted section.
- Butter – I recommend real, salted butter for this recipe. If you need to make it dairy free, use your favorite alternative.
- Sour Cream – I use full-fat sour cream in this recipe, but I’ve also tried it with a variety of yogurts (preferably vanilla, but lime or coconut might be great, too) with great results. If you need to make this dairy free, I’d try apple sauce in place of the sour cream here.
- Coconut – I suggest regular, sweetened and shredded coconut, which you’ll find in the baking aisle.
Baking Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. I like to line my loaf pan with a single piece of parchment, extending over both sides of the pan. Spray the pan with non-stick spray before placing the parchment on to help it stick.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar, add in eggs, mashed banana, sour cream, milk, and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in coconut.
- Pour Batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with coconut on top.
- Bake for about 1 hour and then drizzle with the sweet and tangy lime glaze!
More Banana Bread Recipes
If you’re feeling like banana bread now, here’s a few other recipes you might like!
Caramelized Banana Bread with Browned Butter Glaze
Chocolate Swirled Banana Bread
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can this be made ahead of time? Yes, it stays moist for several days, especially if left un-cut! Keep in an airtight container to store.
- Can you freeze this coconut-lime banana bread? You bet. It’s easier to freeze without the glaze, consider preparing the glaze and placing in a zip top bag. Place the baked and cooled loaf on a plate in the freezer until frozen, then wrap well with food wrap. Place both bread and glaze baggie in another large freezer bag and freeze together for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, leave bread at room temp to thaw. Make sure glaze packet is sealed well and place in a bowl of warm water to thaw. Snip off a small corner of the baggie and drizzle glaze on top of bread.
Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze
Description
Soft tender banana bread studded with shredded coconut and topped with a sweet and tangy lime glaze.
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons real butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4–5 large bananas)
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons milk or apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 teaspoon coconut extract, optional
Topping:
2 tablespoons additional coconut
Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
a little zest from 1 lime (about 1/2 teaspoon, okay to eyeball and zest to taste!)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×5″ loaf pan with non-stick spray, and if desired, line with parchment.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended. Add eggs one at a time and beat until well combined. Add banana, sour cream, milk, vanilla and coconut extracts. Beat until combined.
Add flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 C coconut.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle additional 2 tablespoons coconut on top.
Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until a knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Note: Check bread after about 45 minutes. If the top has browned and the coconut pieces are looking toasty, you can cover top of bread lightly with a piece of foil. Continue baking until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with loose crumbs, but no wet batter.
When done, remove pan from oven. Let cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes and then carefully remove from pan. Whisk powdered sugar and lime juice together for the glaze and then drizzle over top. Cool for another 15 minutes before slicing.
Questions & Reviews
Love your site. Pictures are amazingly descriptive. I have seen some recipes for bacon jam. Do you have one that you like. It sounds good, but the recipes are very different and don't know which one to try. Peggy in Lake Charles
This sounds amazing!!! We love banana bread and coconut and the lime glaze sounds like it would go perfectly!!! Also, we voted for your blog! Good luck!
This bread is really good! I love how moist it is. Note to self: Add 10 minutes to baking time if you use a glass Pyrex loaf pan again! =) Although I wasn't happy about the extra 10 minutes I made myself wait, it was worth it! Thanks!
MMMM this was so good, I didn't have limes so I used lemons but it still was great! SOOOoo moist. I love the toasted coconut on top–thanks for sharing all these delicious recipes!
This is my favorite banana bread recipe. It also freezes great without the glaze, just glaze after it thaws. yumm, i need banana bread
we love banana bread and muffins and I keep buying lots of bananas thinking we'll end up with some extra ripe ones but my kids end up eating them all still. I think I will hide some so I can make this recipe lol
I can go for coconut any time of year, but the craving gets especially strong in the warm months. 🙂 This looks so delicious and I happen to have some bananas that need to be used up right now.
This bread is spectacular. I can't believe how wonderful the flavors are together. Honestly, when I first read the title I thought it sounded kinda weird. I made it Gluten Free last night for our family and couldn't have been happier. I posted it to my blog and linked back to you.
http://thehappytummy.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/coconut-banana-bread-with-lime-glaze-gluten-free/
thanks for another great recipe!
Wow, what a lime . . wish my Costco would get those in here!! If you still have some around, zest them. It makes so many yummy dishes and I don't even know if you can find lime zest to buy. If you can, I'm sure it's gold plated.
Sara, thanks for reminding me of that banana bread. I haven't made it in quite a while, and it had been a favorite of ours since it was originally printed in Cooking Light mag. Looking forward to making it again this week to use up my "brown banana stash"!
Mary Beth
Sara,
What perfect timing … I have that same bag of limes from Costco sitting in my fridge right now!
This looks perfect!! Can you tell me what kind and size bread pan you used? Love the look of the finished product 🙂
Thanks again!!
Thanks, Sara. I didn't mean to imply that the recipe sounded "icky sweet", just wanted to make sure I didn't use sweetened by mistake if you didn't intend it. 🙂
Adding this to my recipe "to do ASAP" pile on the kitchen counter, as I do most of yours. It's a big pile…
Oh I will have to make a gluten free version of this…SOON! Easy peasy, LIMEon squeezy! Thanks for this! It looks and sounds SO delicious!!
ooh, this looks delish! and i've got bananas waiting! now to get some limes . . . ( :
I love all of these ingredients…and together, drool worthy is absolutely accurate!
I love the lime glaze!
ForPetesSake- I just use sweetened flaked coconut from a bag. You could use either. The bread itself isn't overly sweet so the glaze isn't overkill- (in my opinion!)
Diana- Apple Cider is totally fine. Honestly, just about any liquid will work. The original recipe actually calls for rum, but since I don't have alcohol around I sub it out. I've used milk, juice, extra sour cream, apple sauce etc. Really, anything works!
Looks like a good one!
How about a red velvet cake/cupcake recipe? 🙂
–Meliha
http://straddling-continents-cultures.blogspot.com/
seriously people. . .
Sara, wow. This looks so good. Mmmmm. . . coconut and lime – my two favorite spring flavors.
I'm not usually a big fan of coconut- but lime & coconut? Delicious!!
Do you think apple cider will work okay? I've got some that needs using up! This sounds great for a bake sale this week!
Sara – Can I just tell you how funny your post is? Last weekend I hosted a girl's night with a Mexican theme. I made your awesome recipes for taco chicken and tortilla soup. I used 9 limes from the grocery store, but needed a few more…well, I had to go to Costco anyways…you know the story…while I still used 6 of the limes from Costco, I still have 20 more!!
I CAN'T WAIT to try this recipe. You and Kate have converted me to the deliciousness of lime!
Oh my goodness, my mouth is watering right now. I NEED to try this recipe!
Sweetened or unsweetened coconut or does it matter? I prefer my breads not to be icky sweet, especially with the glaze added to this one, so am wondering what you recommend. Looks yummy and a nice change from my standard banana bread.
This looks so delicious! I love the idea of a lime glaze atop the banana and coconut flavored glaze. I may have to make this the next time I have ripe bananas, or perhaps for the bake sale this Saturday!
I'm still looking for ways to use up coconut leftover from Easter and your recipe is another great way.
This cake looks delicious I love the coconut and lime combination.
I LOVE this recipe. It has been a favorite of mine for a few years now… I was very hesitant to try it at first because I am a believer that banana bread should never be without chocolate. But once I tasted the lime/coconut/banana combo… I was converted. Mmmmm.
And I have used orange juice instead of apple juice.
I hope my bananas turn brown REAL soon so I can make some.
Love it.
O I can't wait to try this recipe..it looks so scrumpticious ….I have voted everyday but out of all of them I have missed three so I hope you can forgive me..I have been trying first thing in the morning to remember….I love your blog so much and would find it a blast if you would visit mine..way different from yours but I think fun to look at lol! http://tmcc4.blogspot.com…have a great week everyone 🙂
Mandy
YUMMMO! I can't wait to make this! It looks delicious. I have an event to bake something for on Saturday and I think I found what I'm making. Thanks!