Lemon Coconut Bread

I thought this combination sounded heavenly, so I baked up two loaves of this over the weekend. I took one into my co-workers....I may keep the other one!

Lemon Coconut Bread

(Baking Bites)

*Note: This bread is delicious on it's own, but toasted and slathered with butter it is a-ma-z-i-n-g!

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk (lowfat is fine)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

2 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened...it truly doesn't matter)

1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; grease and flour a 9"x5" loaf pan

- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt

- Stir in sugar and coconut

- In a medium bowl, or large measuring cup, whisj together the eggs, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla

- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in egg mixture

- Stir until just combined and only a few streaks of flour remain

- Add in melted butter and stir until just smooth; being careful not to overmix
- Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

- Turn loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing

- Makes 1 loaf

Banana Coconut Muffins

Coconut is one of those things that I go in and out of enjoying.

I also tend to forget it exists until it pops up again on my radar.

So when I saw the recipe for Banana Coconut Muffins (aka, Five Kinds of Awesome) over at the No Slivers Here blog, I figured it was time to re-incorporate coconut into my cooking.

And these.are.that.good.

I could've eaten them all as soon as they came out of the oven! YUM!

I swear, a little dollop of whipped cream on top, and these bad boys would taste like pie!

Banana Coconut Muffins

(http://www.epicurious.com/, by way of No Slivers Here blog)

Note: The recipe says it makes 8, 1/2" deep muffins. But I never buy specialty sized muffins tins, so I used my standard 12-muffin tin. I got 10 muffins.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 very ripe bananas, mashed (3/4 cup)

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin cups with liners.

- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

- Whisk together bananas, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and 1/2 cup coconut in a large bowl until combined well, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened.
- Divide batter among lined muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut.

- Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 25 minutes.

- Transfer muffins to a rack and cool slightly.

Edit: I've entered this recipe in Joelen's Culinary Adventures blog event -- Marvelous Muffins!