Roasted Pecan Banana Bread Loaves

My father loves bananas and pecans, so for his birthday this year I whipped up a special treat for him: two of his favorites, wrapped into one, and made into individual loaves so he could easily freeze the extras and have his birthday banana bread whenever he wanted. (Coconut extract helps to bring out the fresh banana flavor - trust!) The flavor is better a day later.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 181 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ cup chopped pecans
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 ½ cups very ripe, mashed bananas
• ½ cup light butter, at room temperature

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Spread the pecans onto a baking sheet, and toast until the nuts start to turn golden brown and become fragrant, about 45 minutes. Watch the nuts carefully as they bake, they burn quickly. Once toasted, set the nuts aside to cool to room temperature.

Step 2

Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 2 mini loaf pans with cooking spray.

Step 3

Combine the toasted pecans, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a large bowl, mix the bananas, sugar, eggs, vanilla and coconut extracts, lemon juice, and butter together with a fork or an electric mixer on low speed. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture, and pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans, filling them about 3/4 full.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a loaf comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack to finish cooling. Wrap cooled loaves in plastic wrap.