White Chocolate Mango Banana Bread

We make a lot of banana bread around here. A LOT. And we normally like to experiment with different flavor combinations and add-ins in order to shake things up a bit and give plain old banana bread a bit of a makeover. I normally use my base buttermilk banana bread recipe and then branch out from there simply because I have it memorized. Last month, we baked a banana bread that was sweetened with honey and speckled with poppy seeds. That version was so delicious that Paul and I were convinced it would officially capture the title of "favorite banana bread."

Then we tried this White Chocolate and Mango Banana Bread. Holy Cow...this is amazing.

I am a huge mango lover. I craved mangoes while pregnant with Matthew and would eagerly wait for them to go on sale at the store and then promptly buy out the entire stock. When I spied this banana bread recipe and saw that it incorporated mangoes and white chocolate (gah!), I was pretty sure we would love it.

And love it we did. Super moist, super delicious, wonderfully sweet. Paul took one bite and declared: "This is so good!"

Matthew insisted that I share this picture of his latest coloring page. He has been really
intense about coloring lately and was particularly proud of this picture he colored of Diesel.

And a closeup of the Diesel picture. He's getting better!

We had company over for a meal and I sliced this thickly and arranged it on a platter for our guests to munch on. A little while later, I spied Matthew sitting at the table devouring slice after slice after slice. I think he liked it.

I am totally guilty of buying about 5 pounds of bananas with the full knowledge that we will not be able to eat them all before they turn speckled brown. Oh darn. I'll just have to make another loaf of this stuff.

White Chocolate Mango Banana Bread
adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 and 1/2 cups mashed very ripe banana (about 3-4 bananas)
1/3 cup plain yogurt (greek yogurt works well)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup white chocolate chips, roughly chopped
1 cup finely diced mango
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter with a wooden spoon until blended and thick. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, and vanilla. Continue beating until blended.

Make a well in the center of the flour ingredients and pour the banana mixture in. Using a spatula, slowly fold everything together until just combined, being careful not to over-mix. Add the toasted coconut, white chocolate pieces, and diced mangoes and gently fold everything into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Be careful not to over-bake!

Cool 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack. Wrap in plastic wrap and keep stored in the fridge. We enjoyed this best on the 3rd day - delicious!