Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

We go through banana phases in this house.  Either we eat them up the day after I go grocery shopping and don't have any the rest the week, or they sit there until no one wants them anymore and I have to come up with yet another banana bread recipe.  Don't get me wrong, I love banana baked goods, but sometimes you just need to make something a little different than the typical banana muffins with chocolate chips recipe.  And this turned out to be a great way to do that!  It's a banana bread with a tropical twist.  Who knew a little coconut and lime could make it so tasty?

I got nervous about cooking this in a 9x5 loaf pan because those big loaves of quick breads tend to fall for me.  But, this one worked out!  It baked up nicely for once!  So that means I better put it on the blog.

COCONUT BANANA BREAD WITH LIME GLAZE
(adapted from a Cooking Light recipe, found here)

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces) (I used half wheat, half white)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt (can sub sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place granulated 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 and vanilla; beat until blended. 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. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.