Get bananas in a bread and they're like that person in the room that has to be the center of attention. You know the type I'm talking about? it's ALWAYS all about them. That's bananas - their flavor completely takes over everything! Bananas are really the narcissists of the fruit world, if you think about it.
That's why I love this banana bread with the rum, coconut and lime glaze! All the other stuff in this bread is able to fight for its rightful position, putting that banana flavor in its place, so it's not all about the bananas. If you are looking for unique banana bread recipes, without an overpowering banana taste, then this Tropical Banana Bread with Lime Glaze is the one for you!
🥘 Ingredients
The tropical coconut, rum and lime flavors in this banana bread really balance the banana flavor! You can substitute 1 tsp rum extract for the rum (see NOTES in recipe card)
This banana bread with Greek yogurt is considered quick bread because it uses baking soda, not yeast, as it's leavener. And that's what a quick bread is: any bread, such as muffins or corn bread, leavened with baking powder or baking soda and NOT yeast. Also, it's a bread that doesn't require rising time and can be baked as soon as the batter is mixed. My Date Nut Loaf and Healthy Carrot Loaf are also extremely popular quick bread recipes you'll probably want to try as well!
🌡️ Freezing Bananas
I'm pretty picky about my bananas. Although they're up there in my top 3 fave fruits, there's about a 2 day period where I actually like them. Eating them is completely off the table once they start to get brown and have any mush factor whatsoever, so I freeze them. Therefore, I have A LOT of bananas in my freezer. And this is one of my favorite recipes to make with overripe bananas.
💭 Top tip
Speaking of freezing bananas, just a tip- you'll want to peel them BEFORE you freeze them. It took me years, lots of minor frostbite from peeling frozen bananas and having frozen bananas as painful as frozen hockey pucks fall out of the freezer onto my toes, before I discovered this very logical way of freezing bananas!
If you're looking for banana bread ideas with real ingredients then this healthy Tropical Banana Bread will blow you away! You'll still know bananas are in there, but they won't be running the entire flavor show; and isn't that the way it's supposed to be?
If you love this banana, coconut, rum and lime flavor combo, have a lot of frozen bananas and want to use them up, then try this Nice Cream (a vegan and healthy version of ice cream) It uses 6 bananas!
My Amazon Recommendations (affiliate links)
📋 Healthy Tropical Banana bread (with lime glaze) recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 4 medium mashed ripe banana
- ¼ cup vanilla non-fat greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons amber rum * or substitute 1 tsp rum extract for non-alcoholic version and add additional amounts of liquid (see NOTES)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup flaked sweetened coconut
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ tsp lime zest
Garnish
- flaked sweetened coconut sprinkles (if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray
- Combine flours, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
- Place brown sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended.
- Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in ½ cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut, if desired.
- Bake at 350° for about 1 hour (I cooked it 10 minutes longer, as it wasn’t quite done) or until a cake tester/wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.
Glaze
- Combine powdered sugar, lime juice, and zest stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
🍞MORE QUICK BREAD RECIPES!
Saskatoon Berry Loaf with Brown Butter Glaze
Easy Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Lemon Glaze
The tip about peeling bananas before freezing them changed my life lol Soooo much easier.
Brilliant combo of flavors too. Rum, lime, coconut, AND banana?? Get in my belly! 🙂
Thanks, Jo! I know how you feel - that banana hack changed my life too :)!
You and I are exactly the same with the bananas, any brown and into the freezer they go. I only learned recently to peel them first, thanks to my daughter's nice cream infatuation!
I have two 'distressed' bananas on my counter top right now, perfect for this recipe!
Thanks, Bernice! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
This looks delicious! (That glaze! YUM!) I am the exact same way about bananas - I have a VERY small window of opportunity to eat them, before they become banana bread.
Hi Kim -Thank you! Yes, thank god for freezers and banana bread or I'd toss so many bananas!
Terri what an awesome idea! I would have never thought of this combo, but it makes perfect sense. I’m making this on the weekend.
Thanks, Kristen! Hope you enjoyed it 🙂
I know exactly what you mean about the banana time frame! My freezer is full of bananas, too, because of that. But why didn't I ever think to peel them first? Thanks for that, and the loaf sounds yummy, Terri!
Thanks, Colleen! Yes, when I discovered the 'peeling before freezing' thing, I wondered why I hadn't thought of it before. I guess we just keep doing what we've been taught to do and have always done 🙂
I love a good banana bread, but I must say, you really caught my attention with the tropical flavours! It's exactly what I need right now as winter hangs on around here!
Thanks, Leanne... Yes, the tropical flavours really keep the bananas from overpowering the bread!
I love the addition of rum to baking. It definitely provides a tropical feel to this banana loaf!
thank you! yes, I love the rum too....
I am so so so in love with the idea of a tropical banana bread. Such a great idea! I've been hankering these brighter flavors as I anticipate warmer weather. I can't wait to make this!
Thanks, Dana! I know what you mean about hankering for brighter/tropical flavours! So good to be out of this cold snap finally 🙂