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
Soft tender banana bread studded with shredded coconut and topped with a sweet and tangy lime glaze.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour3/4 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup sugar4 tablespoons real butter softened2 large eggs1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4-5 large bananas)1/4 cup sour cream3 tablespoons milk or apple juice1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 cup shredded coconut1 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 9x5" 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.
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
Questions & Reviews
Yummy! <3
I tried this and it was truly marvelous….every BITE as good as it looks! It was so easy and looked and smelled wonderful. It seems with the apple juice and yogurt options it is rather healthy, too! My family loved it. One of my daughters has made some things from your cookbook that she also loves. We will check back often!!! Such a great site! I took some pictures and posted the recipe on my blog with a link back to you and this page!
I love this bread! I discovered this recipe back in 2004 in the Cooking Light magazine. I was sitting in a doctors office thumbing through, convinced there couldn’t possibly a “Light” recipe worth trying, while I waited for what seemed like hours and there it was. As a few people have said, the combination sounds weird. But I jotted down the recipe and tried it later. It is fantastic! I have made it many times over the years and every time it turns out great.(which is amazing because I’m at highish altitude and I rarely find a recipe that works without modification.) Anyway, I’m glad you found this recipe too.
I have to start out by saying that I don’t usually like banana bread, but I made this recipe because I had a few overripe bananas and had to bring bread to a brunch this morning. The coconut and lime flavors combine so nicely with the banana that even I thought it was delicious! I received lots of compliments at the brunch, and ended up sending the recipe out to my mom’s group – with a link to you of course!
I used apple cider instead of juice, and key lime flavored yogurt instead of plain. I also baked it in one 8 x 4″ pan and one soup can (because that’s what I had) and it only took 45 minutes. Thanks for the fantastic recipe!
LOVE THIS! Tweeked it a bit. Used vanilla agave nectar (http://lovingsuperfoods.com/rawfood/vanillaagavenectar.html) in place of the sugar and vanilla. Added cinnamon. Used coconut milk instead of the milk. I used unsweetened coconut flakes (bobs red mill) and created a glaze with vanilla agave nectar, coconut milk and powdered sugar. it turned out amazing, didnt last a day. Thanks so much for the great recipe and the inspiration. Loved all the photos you added and the explanation too! Making my second loaf right now.
For the love of Fashion: Could you have put too much batter in the pan? Because that’s exactly what I did. I didn’t know you were supposed to only fill the pan about half (or a little less) full. I’m such a klutz in the kitchen!!
Sara & Kate: I love your site!! My sister just told me about it and I have been on it constantly. Your way of cooking is so simple, which is good for me. I feel so overwhelmed at times at all the meals I have to prepare for my family and you two just put me into a “zen” place where I feel like it’s manageable and can actually be really fun to be in the kitchen! I have enjoyed cooking and baking much more since I discovered your recipes. Thanks again so much for sharing your talents!
Oh my this looks so delicious! Even my 4 yr old is excited to bake this today!
I love your blog, and I feel so weird that this is my first comment. I have been working my way through all of your recipes and haven’t yet found one I don’t like. They’re all winners. And my husband is LOVING this trend… Anyway, I just made this bread and it was delicious. I only had whole wheat flour, but it still came out great. I did add a little extra baking powder and a heaping helping of the soda to help out. Hope you don’t mind. I always get annoyed by those people on allrecipes who rate recipes a 5-star and yet they completely changed the recipe!! Anyway, I can’t wait to get your cookbook– my mom bought me one at one of your book signings in Houston, so I’m VERY excited to see it!!
I received some funny looks when I told my husband and daughter what I was making. They didn’t think it would be good. My husband was disappointed that I wasn’t adding chocolate chips. Well, come dessert time, it was getting rave reviews. My husband said there wasn’t a need for chocolate chips and my daughter (5) give it a 10. Can’t wait to try more recipes. Thanks
Just came out of the oven! The lime glaze is bowl licking, finger licking, awesome. I’m not saying I did. But maybe I did.
Sending the link to my sis now…
I love lime, coconut and banana. But my husband and I both decided that the lime flavor completely over-powered the banana and coconut. Next time I will either use coconut or banana flavoring in the glaze, replacing the lime juice with milk or water. Used only 3/4 c. of sugar. Instead of baking in a 9×5, I divided the batter into 3 small foil pans, baked for only 50 minutes.
Delish!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Delicious! I made these today in muffin form – love the easy grab and go. I made them a little healthier. I used white whole wheat flour, coconut oil, fat free Greek yogurt and cut the sugar to 3/4 cup. I also chopped the coconut up a little in the food processor to try to hide it from my coconut-hating husband! They are so moist and tasty! The kids loved them. Thanks for another great recipe.
I got an email from cookinglight.com today that had all of their banana bread recipes and I saw this one….and I thought…”haven’t I seen this on Our Best Bites?”. So, I had to come and see how you modified it. I wondered if it really needed the rum, but looks like everyone loves it without. I have some over-ripe bananas that need to get off of my counter…I’m so excited to try this 🙂
Just finished my secret piece, I didn’t want the kids to see me eating it because I knew they would beg me for some too. This is awesome. So yummy and moist with the lime glaze sooooo good. My husband even asked if he could take some to work at the next work party. I agree with one of the other readers about the Pyrex needing a additional 10(ish minutes.) No biggie.
positively scrumptious. i had three slices before breakfast. thank goodness i’m preggers and therefore have the metabolism of a 16 yr old boy. 🙂
Mine is in the oven right now! Can’t wait to try it.
Love this recipe! One of my all time favorite breads!
This was so yummy. Thank you! The lime glaze was just the perfect touch.
For the love of fashion- no idea! That shouldn't happen so you may have had an error in there somewhere. Hopefully it still tasted good!
So i am in the middle of baking this right now, and It wont bake in the center??!! I have had it in the oven for about 1h30m at 350f in a 9×5 so I don't know what the deal is?? And suggestions??
Just made this today, turned out great! My new favorite banana bread recipe – thanks for posting!
I just made this today and it was soooooo scrumptious! I had some macadamia nuts on hand and added those. I was planning on eating one slice and could not leave it alone. the lime glaze was so good on it. It just hit the spot!
Thanks for a great recipe! I made some modifications and it still turned out fantastic. I posted it on my blog with links back to you.
I'm going to give this a try with coconut oil in place of the butter. I wonder if white whole wheat flour can be used in place of all purpose flour too???
Hopefully it will turn out. 🙂 Experimenting is always an adventure.
Thanks!
Anissa
I made my own Gluten Free version of this and it was FABULOUS! Mine made two loaves and the were GONE is less than 2 days. There are only 4 of us, and two are little kids. Guess who ate the most.
Next time I am going to try using lime juice and lime flavoured yogurt IN the bread as well as on it. Shared a link to this recipe with my gluten tolerant family, and shared my variation with the gluten free members.
I just made this recipe earlier in the week and it was so delicious! I even linked to your site on my blog so my friends could enjoy it too! Thanks for another winner. I love your site!!
My niece, a TV news anchor, is planning a 'Run for the Roses' Kentucky Derby party for 100 on May 1. The challenge is Kentucky-inspired finger food.
All I've come up with is a thought for dessert – mini bourbon pecan pies, perhaps in phyllo shells? Thinking of dropping a semisweet chocolate chip or two at the bottom.
I adore your website and emails. I posted my own photos & tips on NavyforMoms.com with your fabulous apple-pie-in-a-jar; made me famous with other corpsman moms! http://www.navyformoms.com/group/carepackageideas/forum/topics/cake-and-pies-in-a-jar-links
Thanks and wishing you the BEST!
Marcy Tankersley Scott
Just popped these in the oven as muffins. Can't wait to try.
So, there I was completely humiliated at the fact that our totally shy neighbor had come over to our house to tell us that for the last couple of days our kids had been chucking rocks over the fence at their parked cars. I clicked on OBB and there it was as the daily post…the perfect peace offering. It worked like a charm. Coconut/Lime banana bread. It was way more gourmet and impressive than a simple batch of chocolate chip cookies, right? Thanks so much!