Browned Butter & Whiskey Banana Bread with Coconut

I’ve got all sorts comforting flavors for you. Whole wheat flour, brown sugar, smashed bananas, ground cinnamon, coconut, a dash of whiskey because why not and browned butter, of course. Because I use it in everything, no I mean seriously it’s becoming a bit over whelming, but I mean these pumpkin snickerdoodles are my faves this season, and it should be a staple in pies. Maybe it’s just my thing, considering I don’t really like butter this is the only way I enjoy it. You know when browned butter is in the mix, sweets just have a “je ne sais quoi” taste to them.

It’s mostly a one bowl kind of delicious cake, for some reason called bread, yes why is it called banana bread and not cake? I did some research, like I always do, well it’s unclear. “Even David Lebowitz doesn’t know the difference.” You slather icing on banana bread, just like cake, but the only difference seems to be in its heaviness. Bread uses denser flours like all-purpose and whole wheat, while certain cakes use light airy cake flour. 

Coconut and whiskey in this banana bread, because it’s the best idea. And while researching and putting this recipe together, majority of them included this tropical touch.

This banana bread is exactly what it should be.  It’s not overly sweet, moist, comforting, and rich. It’s the kind of cake {slice of bread, sweet treat, whatever you’d like to call it…}  that just gives you a warm and comforting hug. 

Okay, I’m writing this but could really go bake another batch of this, especially since this dark, gloomy, rainy, for the lack of better words, crappy weather, seriously puts you in the mood. So, I could use some yumminess to make me feel happy. And crossing my fingers the weather holds up so that I can head to the farm tomorrow to pick apples and pumpkins. I’ve got some variations of this recipe that will be perfect all autumn long, especially for Thanksgiving and the holidays. I can’t wait to get baking! And let’s leave it at that because I’m going to make some more banana bread, and you should too!

Brown Butter Whiskey Banana Bread with Coconut 

Ingredients {Makes one loaf}

6 ounces – Unsalted Butter

2 cups – Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 cup – Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon – Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon – Salt

3/4 teaspoon – Ground Cinnamon

2 large – Eggs

1 teaspoon – Pure Vanilla Extract

2 tablespoons – Whiskey

1/4 cup – Buttermilk

1 1/4 cup {about 3 medium bananas} – Mashed Bananas

1/2 cup – Shredded Coconut, plus more for topping

Recipe {Makes one loaf}

Preheat to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, set aside.

Brown butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. It will begin to foam and sizzle, once it subsides, the butter will begin to brown quickly. Swirl the pan as it cooks until it smells nutty, remove from the flame and place into a small bowl. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, whiskey, and buttermilk until incorporated well.  Whisk together mashed bananas, then the cooled browned butter well.

Add the dry ingredients, into the wet ingredients and gently fold together, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Fold in the coconut, mixing just until ingredients are incorporated.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared pan and top with coconut. Bake until golden in color and wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean {about 50 minutes to 1 hour}.  Remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Run knife around sides of bread, remove from pan then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Banana bread will last, well wrapped at room temperature up to 4 days, and frozen up to 2 months.