Butter Pecan Banana Bread

1. Preheat Oven and Grease Pan

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan generously with butter to ensure your bread doesn’t stick.

2. Combine Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Make sure these dry ingredients are well mixed.

3. Cream Butter and Add Eggs and Bananas

In another bowl, cream the butter until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the mashed bananas, until you have a smooth and creamy mixture.

4. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

Gently fold the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir just enough to combine; a few lumps are fine.

5. Add Vanilla, Pecans, and Coconut

Add the vanilla extract, chopped pecans, and grated coconut to the batter. Stir them in gently, ensuring they’re evenly distributed.

6. Pour Batter and Bake

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, spreading it out evenly. Place the pan in the center of your preheated oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out fairly clean with just a few moist crumbs.

7. Cool and Serve

Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes. After it has cooled slightly, gently turn the loaf out of the pan and let it cool completely on the rack before slicing.