Blueberry Coconut Banana Bread
This Blueberry Coconut Banana Bread is packed with flavor, and it makes for one heck of a Saturday morning breakfast!
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Have I ever mentioned how much my wife hates kitchen unitaskers? If its a tool or a gadget that only does one thing, then chances are you won’t find it in our house. It turns into clutter, and clutter turns into junk drawers that never get opened. I’m looking at you, strawberry huller! (Yes, a paring knife can do the same job, and it has a zillion other uses, too.)
But one of my all-time favorite unitaskers is the banana slicer. That’s right, a banana slicer. Before we get any further, I just need to put it out there that I don’t actually own this banana slicer. But it’s still one of my favorites. And why is that you ask? Because of the comments on Amazon. This banana slicer has become a bit of a cult favorite on Amazon, and I still go back and read the reviews when I need a laugh. Seriously. Just go read the reviews…there’s 5,000+ comments, and there are so many witty ones out there.
Some of my favorite comments:
- “There is no way to tell if this is a standard or metric banana slicer. Additional markings on it would help greatly.”
- “Ordering one for my nephew who’s in the air force in California. He’s been using an old slinky to slice his bananas.”
- “I tried the banana slicer and found it unacceptable. As shown in the picture, the slicer is curved from left to right. All of my bananas are bent the other way.”
- “I bought this product to gain an advantage in the high stakes world of banana cutting roulette in Bogata, Columbia.”
Banana bread has long been one of my favorite morning treats. A toasted slice of banana bread with a cup of coffee is pretty much my ideal weekend morning! (I’m sure this goes back to the fact that my mom baked banana bread at least once a week when I was growing up.)
Over the years, I’ve toyed with my mom’s recipe a bit here and there…but I always keep the same basic batter. This recipe is no different. I had some blueberries in the fridge, so I folded those into the batter along with coconut flakes. And then just for a fun twist, I tossed some coconut flakes on top of the loaf when it was almost done baking. And that’s how this Blueberry Coconut Banana Bread ended up in my kitchen! (It got toasted up on Saturday morning and served along with a hot cup of coffee…delicious!)
Oh, and I just mashed the bananas with a fork for this recipe…if only I had a way to slice bananas quickly…
Do you own a banana slicer?
Blueberry Coconut Banana Bread
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 ripe bananas mashed with fork
- ¾ cup unsweetened coconut flakes divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp water
- ⅓ cup blueberries
- ⅓ cup pecans coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease and flour a large bread pan; set aside.
- Using a countertop mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (~2-3 minutes on medium speed.)
- Add eggs; stir until just combined.
- Add bananas, ½ cup of coconut flakes, vanilla and lemon juice; stir until just combined.
- Add flour, baking soda and water; stir until just combined.
- Fold in the blueberries and pecans.
- Transfer batter into greased bread pan.
- Bake at 400°F for 40 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and press remaining ¼ cup coconut flakes into top of loaf. Continue baking for 5-10 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean.
- Let bread cool in pans for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Love those blueberries = this sounds yummy!
This is a darn good banana bread! And the blueberries take it to a whole new level. 🙂
If you ever want to fall over laughing, read the Amazon product reviews for sugar-free Haribo gummy bears. It’s gross yet amazing.
I’m not into my apple corer for the reason. It has limited use!
This is a great way to give banana bread a fun makeover!
Oh…another good Amazon read? I like it! Thanks so much, Mir…I hope February is off to a great start for you! 🙂
I can’t not wait to make this as I love a good banana bread and then you had me hooked with the coconut!!!! Sounds so good!
Thanks so much, Laura! Banana bread is a childhood favorite, and this blueberry + coconut addition really takes this one to a whole new level. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we did! 🙂
Dude, I’m such a sucker for kitchen gadgets (even the useless ones!), yet I didn’t know that there were things such as the strawberry huller and the banana slicer (I know, have I been living under a rock or what?)
They sound so awesome, I’m fairly certain that I need to get them both asap!
Another thing I definitely need is a slice of this amazing bread. I mean I LOVE blueberries, coconut, and banana, so this has Mike written all over it!
#WolfpackGadgets
I just can’t picture you being a useless kitchen gadget guy, Mike! I would have guessed you’d keep the kitchen streamlined so you had more room for soccer balls…uh, I mean footballs…uh, I mean futbols. 🙂 But hey, it’s almost V-Day. Give yourself some love and go order some kitchen gadgets! I won’t tell anyone.
haha no I don’t have a banana slicer..I didn’t even know it existed!! I love the way you jazzed up the same old banana bread, sounds awesome!!
Well now that you knnow it exists, you clearly need a banana slicer! In fact, I think your husband might like a abnana slicer for Valentine’s Day this year. 🙂 Thanks, Manali!
LOL! I do not have a banana slicer, but I may have an old slinky in the garage! Those comments are hilarious! I do have a few kitchen gadgets hanging out in a drawer that never gets opened. Those blueberries are gorgeous in this banana bread! And why not toss on some coconut too? Good call!
I would love to see you slice a banana with that old slinky from the garage, Rachelle! In fact, I think that is video worthy! It would go viral. 🙂
This bread looks awesome and I love the toasted coconut! 🙂
Thank you so much, Medha! The toasted coconut was almost an afterthought, but I’m glad I put it in there! Hope February is off to a great start for you!
I am with her on that David! When I started cooking, my husband bought me apple core peeler and I was like why do I need this when I can do that in the same time with a knife?!! haha but this bread looks super moist and delicious with all the fixins! Yummy!
Haha! I totally agree with you, Ami! A paring knife can eliminate at least 132 random kitchen gadgets! But the comments on that banana slicer crack me up…and people are still commenting, so it’s always good for another laugh every couple of months! 🙂
Two things: I have NEVER even heard of a banana slicer hahaha and this bread looks to die for!
One thing: You clearly need a banana slicer then. Ok, maybe two things because you need a slice of this banana bread, too! 🙂 Thanks, Ashley!!
This banana bread looks delicious, David! Love the idea of adding blueberries and the toasted coconut topping sounds great! 🙂
Thanks so much, Jess! This bread made for awesome weekend breakfasts toasted up with a bit of butter…yum! 🙂
What? Banana slicer? David, I’ve been dreaming of such a thing for so long not knowing it already exists! I need it. And perhaps I need a banana peeler too:) If you find any, please send along with this awesome banana bread. It’s almost a year since I made my last (and the first) banana bread so maybe it’s the time. And this coconut!
Ah, I am so glad I wrote about the banana sliver then, Ben! It sounds like I have solved a lifelong problem for you. 🙂 Oh, but a banana peeler? Now you’re just getting lazy. I mean, c’mon. How hard is it to peel a banana? Haha! And you definitely need to make another banana bread soon…it’s one of my favorite quick breads to make!
Haha I love gadgets that just do one thing, but Dave hates them and gets angry when he tries to find something in the draw and all he can find are these “useless” things. Oh, marriage! haha.
Oh tell me about it, Dannii! Back in my younger days, I might have had way too many gadgets. Laura made sure we, uh, “streamlined” our kitchen once we got married. I say you get Dave one of these banana slicers for Valentine’s Day this year. Nothing says love like an easily-sliced banana! 🙂
Haha – I must live under a rock, because this is the first I’m hearing of a strawberry huller or a banana slicer! I’m with Mrs. Spiced on this – unitaskers have me shaking me head…muttering…noooooo…just noooo! But, you won’t ever hear me saying no to a slice of banana bread. Your twerks to your mom’s recipe make this one EPIC loaf, David!
P.S. Those comments on the banana slicer remind me of those comments on that article about boiling water that Mike shared – too too funny!
Oh geez, Shashi! You clearly need a banana slicer! I mean, how have you and lil Shashi made it this long without a banana slicer…or a strawberry huller. The travesty. Yeah, I totally remember the boiling water one that Mike linked a while back. In fact, I think that’s what gave me the idea to write about the banana slicer here. I love that people are still commenting on it, too…so it’s always good for a new laugh every couple of months! 🙂
I never heard of a banana slicer, but those Amazon comments are hilarious! I love banana bread, and when you add blueberries, walnuts and coconut it is so YUM, I’d eat the whole thing at once!
Tell me about it, Melanie! If you ever get bored and need a laugh, hop over to the comments on that banana slicer. People are still adding new comments, so it’s always good for a new laugh! And this banana bread is definitely a keeper…it made for some awesome weekend breakfasts when we toasted it up with a bit of butter! 🙂
What cracks me up is that is a need for a banana slicer! I mean really people. Those are some funny comments, especially the high stakes Bogata one.
I enjoy baking with blueberries and make muffins and banana bread, but added coconut too? This looks so tasty and I’m not even a big shredded coconut fan. See what you did there? #CoconutConvert
You know you need a banana slicer, Kevin. Your life just wouldn’t be complete without it! If you ever need a good laugh, go read some more comments. There are literally thousands of them out there! Hey, if I can convert you over to coconut, then my job is done! Haha…just kidding. I used to not like coconut either, but then one day it just changed. Go figure!
There’s a banana slicer? I’m with your wife here, I’m not a fan of unitaskers. I don’t have that much counter space or drawers for that. On another note, gimme all the coconut banana bread!!
Haha! I’m with you, Zainab. We can save our drawer space for more important things…like lots and lots of coconut banana bread! Or perhaps some of that red velvet cheesecake of yours? 🙂
Wait, a banana slicer? Geebuz, there’s everything these days. although… I do want the thing that cores the apple lol!
I made a blueberry/banana loaf the other day which was totally missing something…That’s it- Coconut!
Haha! You know you want a banana slicer, too, Arman. Just admit it! 🙂
Sounds healthy and delicious…thanks for sharing this recipe I’m definitely trying them in the weekend 🙂
Thank you so much, Puja! This banana bread is one of my go-to recipes, and the blueberries and coconut are fun additions. Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment! 🙂
I make banana bread pretty regularly and unfortunately only use a fork to mash and slice my bananas, too… haha. This looks amazing and would also be a nice little afternoon treat!
Yeah, you and me both, Bianca. Apparently, we are living in the Dark Ages though…maybe we need to go get a pair of banana slicers so that we can speed up the banana bread process! 🙂
Yum, I love banana bread too! I love the addition of blueberries and coconut into this bread.
And yes, I own a banana slicer… it’s called a butter knife!! What in the world is a banana slicer?! Haha. Those comments are hilarious!
Tell me about it, Nicole! Butter knife, pairing knife, heck even a chef’s knife. They all do the job quite well. But those comments on the banana slicer are totally good for a fun read if you need a laugh! 🙂
Oh My Lord, yes please! 🙂
Hahaha! Thanks, Muna!!
I became fascinated with banana holders at one time, so know where you’re coming from. This banana bread looks fantastic! What a nice combination of flavors.I like to “cut” my bananas with my bare hands. First, I break the banana in half, which is easy to do if you snap it with two hands very quickly. Then I peel the halves. Next, I shove my thumb down the center of each half, which causes the banana to segment itself into three parts, which I then break into pieces with my fingers. Voila!
Hahaha. So by “banana holders,” you are really just referring to your fingers? I like your method of chopping bananas, although I must say that the high stakes world of banana cutting roulette in Bogata, Columbia might frown upon this method. Just sayin’.