Though it might feel like we are far apart during this time, the reality is that many of us are closer together than ever. At this point, it seems that there are few of us who are untouched by this virus– it seems everybody knows somebody who has passed– and we are saddened for all the suffering it has caused. Inside the collective grief, we have come together as a nation and a planet. Healthcare professionals on the front lines are working so hard to save lives. Workers are staffing grocery stores, pharmacies, and post offices around the country. Neighbors are helping neighbors, and people are discussing how they can help one another from afar. Real kindness is trending.
People all over the world reaffirm the resiliency of the human spirit by singing and chanting and applauding from balconies and windows to show support and deep appreciation for the first responders. Celebrities have joined in to make uplifting videos and singing to help comfort us. Even more important, people are putting their dollars and hours to work: restaurants donating meals, civilians delivering goods to the elderly and infirm, and companies donating money to relief efforts. This is happening all over the world, proving that for all our differences, there is a commonality of the human experience. When you really think about it, humans may be their best when times are the worst. September 11, Hurricane Katrina, and World War ll were also examples of this. This pandemic is just the continuation of the legacy of strength of the human spirit.
Now to the recipe. I chose this recipe because there are very few people who do not like banana bread. It is always a special treat, and I think all of us need one of those. I don’t usually use celebrity recipes, however my friend Jennifer called me and told me that this is the best banana bread she has ever had. When I looked at the recipe, it had some unusual ingredients and I decided to give it a try. Jen was right. This banana bread is especially good. The vanilla pudding and bananas ensure this bread turns out perfectly moist, and there is delicious chocolate in every bite. The coconut gives this decadent treat just the right amount of crunch and decadence. Don’t miss out on this one!
The recipe calls for 60 to 80 minutes cooking time, but mine took a lot longer to firm up, so just keep testing it every ten minutes after the first hour until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
This recipe is courtesy of Chrissy Tiegan and will serve 12 people who will enjoy the sweetness of this beautiful loaf.
Ingredients for Banana Bread:
2 cups mashed bananas (about 5-6 bananas)
2/3 cups canola oil
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour (and extra to dust pan with)
2 cups sugar
1 box vanilla instant-pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 (3.5 oz) bar dark chocolate (chopped into chunks)
Salted butter optional for serving
Heat the oven to 325°F.
In a large bowl, mix the mashed bananas, eggs, and oil and set aside.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and pudding mix.
Mix the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, but avoid using a mixer.
Do this part manually to keep the end result nice and fluffy.
Chop up the dark chocolate bar. Add that and the shredded coconut to the batter.
Grease the pan (this means rubbing lots of butter all over it) and coat the butter in a layer of flour.
Flip the pan upside down to shake out the excess flour.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake until the cake bounces back when pressed or if a toothpick comes out clean when poked in.
Depending on the pan, your baking time will vary. With a bundt pan, estimate around 60 to 80 minutes, depending on how deep it is.
Let it cool for about 10 minutes and flip it onto a clean plate or tray for serving.
Enjoy it warm with butter or a scoop of ice cream!
Keep it either refrigerated or left out in an airtight container.
It’s that simple!
