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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 Easy Healthy Tropical Banana Bread with Lime Glaze is the one for you!
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. Therefore, I have A LOT of bananas in my freezer. And this is one of my favorite recipes to make with fresh or frozen bananas.
Freezing Bananas
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!
Quick Bread Recipes
This easy quick 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!
If you’re looking for healthy banana bread ideas with real ingredients then this 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!
Easy Healthy Tropical Banana bread (with lime glaze)
This Easy Healthy Tropical Banana Bread, with amber rum, coconut and lime glaze really gives this quick banana bread a depth of flavor and truly balances the banana. If you are looking for unique banana bread recipes, without an overpowering banana flavor, then this is the one! * Rum extract can be substituted for rum
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 4 medium mashed ripe banana
- 1/4 cup vanilla non-fat greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons amber rum * or substitute rum extract for non-alcoholic version
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp lime zest
Garnish
- flaked sweetened coconut sprinkles (if desired)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray
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Combine flours, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
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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.
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Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut, if desired.
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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
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Combine powdered sugar, lime juice, and zest stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.
Recipe Notes
*Note: You can substitute rum extract for the amber rum if you prefer a non-alcoholic version
**Note: These loaves freeze well
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! 🙂
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!
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.
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.
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!