Brown Butter Banana Bread with Rum and Coconut

I’d like to tell you I’m working on my tan, but that’s a dang lie.

I’m working on my sitting-at-my-desk-and-eating-banana-bread-and-drinking-too-much-coffee.  It’s a tough job but someone has got to hold up this end of the banana bread bargain.

While we’re here sharing all sorts of things, I should also tell you that ‘banana’ was the word I spelled incorrectly in Mrs. Saxon’s sixth grade Spelling Bee.  To be fair, you should know that I was dealing daily with frizzy bangs, I was standing in front of a class full of weirdos that included my mega-crush Hayden, I was trying to speak in a British accent because I had watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory too many times, and there are way too many ‘n’ and ‘a’ situations in the word banana.

I’m glad I could finally explain that one.  I feel better.

Hey pretties!  It’s time to smash-bang you all into one bowl!

We’re working with all-purpose flour, brown sugar, smashed bananas, ground cinnamon, coconut we’re toasting, rum like whoa, and browned butter.  Browned butter always steals the show.  She can’t help it.

My favorite part of making banana bread is stirring together the mashed bananas, eggs, and butter.  I love the way it emulsifies into a glossy, thick, banana mess.

Did I just say mess?  Whatever.

Give  it all a good stir.  You know the drill.

Let’s talk about how we’re adding coconut and rum to our banana bread.. because that’s totally a good idea!

It’s like our banana bread went on vacation and came back all tan… and we were jealous because our spray tan was splotchy… but it was cool, because to get even with tan banana bread we just ate it… all… and we won.

Coconut!

Two kinds of coconut flakes grace this banana bread.

Toasted coconut gets mixed into the batter.  Un-toasted coconut gets swirled on top.  The last thing we want is overly browned top coconut.  We need our game faces on.  Let’s keep this bread professional!

Just look at this sweet thang.  Dreamy dreams.

This bread is exactly what it should be.  Sweet and buttery, banana flavor for days, big bite from coconut flakes and just a hint of rum.

I know my way around some banana bread, and this loaf is dang delicious!

Others in this delicious banana bread parade include:

Whole Wheat and Millet Banana Bread

Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Brown Butter Banana Bread with Rum and Coconut

Print this Recipe!

6 ounces unsalted butter, melted and browned to just over 1/2 cup of butter

2 cups all-purpose 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 rum, plus more for topping

1/4 cup plain yogurt (any fat content) or buttermilk

1 1/4 cup mashed banana (from about 3 medium bananas)

1/2 cup toasted coconut, plus 1/4 cup untoasted coconut for topping

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Butter will begin to foam and crackle as it melts.  When the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown.  Swirl the pan as the butter cooks.  When the butter browns and begins to smell nutty, remove the pan from the flame and transfer the butter to a small bowl.  Taking the butter out of the hot saucepan will stop the butter from overcooking and burning.  Set aside to cool.

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

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, rum, and yogurt or buttermilk.  Whisk in the mashed bananas.  When butter has cooled, whisk in the browned butter.

Add the wet ingredients, all at once to the dry ingredients.  Fold together, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to reveal any hidden pockets of flour.  Fold in the toasted coconut.  Fold together ingredients, but try not to over stir.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and top with untoasted coconut.   Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Brush with a bit of rum as it cools.

Bread will last 4 days, well wrapped at room temperature.  This loaf also freezes well.