My husband had plans to take me out for my Birthday Dinner this past Friday. It was a surprise and I love surprises. 
Not knowing what he had in store for the weekend, I sent him an email Friday afternoon suggesting that Saturday was going to be a gorgeous day and perhaps we can go for some Afternoon Tea and watch a movie. 
He assumed I meant instead of our Friday night plans, let’s celebrate my birthday on Saturday. Uhhhh… no! And then we went back and forth. 
Me: OMG, I’m not saying let’s do one or the other, I’m saying let’s do both days.
He: I can’t do both days, I’ve been out the past 2 weekends.
Me (in my head): Men are so LAZY!!!!!
Me: Fine. Then let’s just stick to tonight’s plan.
He: Tomorrow sounds fun too, Afternoon Tea + Movie. It’s your birthday weekend, so let’s celebrate both days. Changed my mind. 
Saying I was excited is an understatement, but unfortunately when Saturday rolled around, I ended up taking a 3 hour nap in the afternoon, hence my Afternoon Tea date that I suggested didn’t quite go as planned, but we did end up going for a movie that night. 
I suppose that’s what I get for being greedy. 
Moving on to Birthday Cake… since most food bloggers end up baking their own cake, here is a healthy Dark Chocolate Coconut Banana Bread I baked that Parita recently recommended on her blog. Although the bread tasted good, it was a bit too dry in my opinion. I guess I was sorta expecting cake at the end. Oh well. 
NUTRITION: Whole Wheat Pastry Flour is a good source of Fiber and Protein. Bittersweet Chocolate Chips add some Antioxidants to this beverage. Bananas are a very good source of Vitamin B6. They are also a good source of Vitamin C and Fiber. Coconut is low in cholesterol and sodium, and it is a good source of fiber. Although coconut contains high amounts of saturated fats, not all saturated fats pose as a health problem, especially those linked with coconut. Coconut Oil contains Lauric Acid which helps in increasing good HDL cholesterol. Coconut Oil is also beneficial in weight loss by controlling the blood sugar levels. The saturated fats in coconut oil are not as harmful as the saturated fats seen in vegetable oil. With that said, coconut is a saturated fat and should be eaten in moderation.
APPROXIMATE NUTRITION PER SERVING (yields 10 slices @ 350 degrees):
- Calories: 312 cals
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Carbs: 44 g
- Protein: 6.5 g
- Fiber: 4.2 g
INGREDIENTS (original recipe from Tasty Kitchen, my version slightly modified below):
- Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips – 6 tbsp (3 ounces)
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – 3/4 cup
- White Flour – 1 cup
- Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – 1/2 cup
- Baking Powder – 1 tsp
- Baking Soda – 3/4 tsp
- Salt – 1/4 tsp
- Cinnamon – 1/2 tsp
- Organic Eggs – 2
- Packed Brown Sugar – 1/2 cup
- Fage 2% Greek Yogurt – 1/2 cup
- Organic Virgin Coconut Oil – 1/4 cup (melted)
- Organic Overripe Bananas – 1 1/2 cups (mashed; 3 to 4 bananas)
- Let’s Do Organic Unsweetened Shredded Coconut – 1/2 cup (for the batter) + 2 tbsp (for the top)
- Turbinado Brown Sugar – 1 tbsp (for the top)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a loaf pan with butter.
3. Heat the chocolate chips over a double boiler.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients… flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Check on the chocolate – once it is melted, let it cool.
6. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the eggs and packed brown sugar.
7. Mix for a few minutes until you achieve this mocha color.
8. Add the Greek yogurt, coconut oil, and mashed bananas. Mix until well combined.
9. Slowly add the dry ingredients – I did this in 3 batches. DO NOT OVERMIX.
10. Batter.
11. Add unsweetened coconut flakes and fold in.
12. Batter with coconut flakes.
13. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan.
14. Pour the melted chocolate all over the top.
15. Using a knife, swirl in the chocolate.
16. Top with 2 tbsp of coconut flakes and turbinado sugar. 
17. Into the oven for 50 to 60 minutes. I baked mine for 55.
18. Done!
VERDICT: 3.5 / 5
Both my husband and I enjoyed the taste of this bread, but the coconut most definitely dominated the flavor of this bread despite that I lowered the coconut amount. We both thought the bread tasted better the next day, but I still didn’t think it was moist enough. I actually skipped adding 1 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil and added more Greek yogurt to compensate for the missing oil. Regardless, I believe this bread probably needs more yogurt or bananas (healthy options) to compensate for the lack of moisture, or simply cut down the white flour by a 1/4 cup.
TELL ME: Have you ever baked bread? What’s your favorite kind of bread-like cake?
Hope you had a wonderful birthday!
Thanks Mr. & Mrs. P, I did have a wonderful birthday and did all the things I love… eating, sleeping, and watching movies! 🙂
Birthdays that fall on a Friday or Saturday definitely call for a full weekend worth of celebration…I'm guessing your hubby didn't get the memo ;)! This bread looks delish although I'm surprised it wasn't moist enough- I've always been pleasantly surprised by the texture of banana breads that I've made in the past!
K – I'm with you on that. He didn't get it… lol, but I keep it real and told (whined) him. It was surprising to me too, maybe I can try again, but skip adding so much coconut.
I'm all about making cake (or bread or cookies or muffins) for my own birthday! Chocolate coconut banana bread sounds delicious but I would also prefer cake 😉
Haha.. since I was just baking for 2 and I was trying to be relatively healthy, I baked bread instead of cake. Watch what I have in store for this weekend – going to celebrate part 2 with my family, hence I'll go crazy with fat. 🙂
Wow wow wow… So u enjoyed ur birthday at the core n just love the conversation ungad with ur hubby… N I just live baking banana walnut bread eggless version… N btw need to try urs if adding coconut in it…
Thanks Akila! Glad you enjoyed our convo… I probably sound so abrupt, but I'm sweet too. 🙂 This turned out well, but not sure why it wasn't moist enough… maybe I should cut down on some flour.
A 3 hour nap! I love it. I haven't done one of those since…about 8 years ago when Maya was born? 🙂
So funny how I am not a fan of surprises. I need to be in control at all times. Drives Ali's crazy.
Happy Birthday again! Hope you had a great day.
LOL! Yes, 3 hours.. ohhhh don't scare me. I love to sleep, and if I'm sleepy in the middle of day on a weekend, I usually take that nap. Oh wow.. you don't like surprises? I love them… they don't happen often around here so it's nice to have them a few times a year. Thanks so much Ameena.
your 3 hour nap caught my attention too, that's great!
I am obsessed with Banana Bread. I make it and also try it in every cafe. But never tried with chocolate…
Good to hear you enjoyed your birthday. What movie did you see?
LOL! Man, what is up with the 3 hour nap? You guys make it sound like once you have kids, no more naps? Really??? I love banana bread, I wanna make a banana bread next time that is super moist, no chocolate, no coconut. We saw "yeh jawani hai diwani." Awesome movie! Go see it!!!
Hope you had a fun-filled day.. Lovely clicks.. Loved the cake.. I'm a new blogger… Do visit my blog.. http://kitchenserenity.blogspot.in/
Thank you Nilu, I did. Surely I'll visit. 🙂
Hope you had an awesome bday. I had to pin this lovely bread recipe because it looks way too amazing to NOT make. I love all the ingredients in this one!
You're so sweet Natalie.. thank you for doing that. It is really yummy, just consider my remarks at the bottom. 🙂
Hope you had an awesome day 🙂 i been thinking about this bread too – looks delish. thanks for the tips on making it more moist. hope you are feeling better
Thanks Dixya – I did. Yes, definitely consider the tips. I am feeling a little better, but still not 100%. Hopefully soon! 🙂
This bread looks delicious, but I'm sorry it didn't turn out the way you were hoping! I would have eaten your leftovers anyway, haha! 😉 Hope you had a great birthday.
Yeah.. I think I was expecting cake, but I wanted to be healthy. Catch 22 I tell you. We still have some leftovers, come on over! 🙂 I had a great birthday, thanks G!!!
That is just so sweet. I like surprises too but I don't get many 🙂 The bread looks really good. I have not made a chocolate and banana bread combo but this one looks really yummy. I am still to make those amazing looking jalapeno popper sandwiches you made a while back. Maybe while in Spain since it is really hot and I don't feel like I want to use the oven much. It will be the perfect place to whip some up 🙂
Miryam… while in Spain, forget jalapeno popper sandwiches, make tortas and all… it would be great to learn some authentic Spanish recipes and share with us on your blog. I bet you will come up with great recipes since you are of Spanish origin (jealous). The bread was good, just a bit dry. 🙂
Yum this looks pretty good! I'd probably add either greek yogurt or the mashed banana to add more moisture.
Yeah, I skipped like 1 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil and added more Greek Yogurt, so maybe more banana. 🙂
I love that this has healthy goodies like whole wheat flour, greek yogurt and coconut oil but still looks so decadent! I'm seriously drooling over this.
Yup.. all healthy goodies. I typically try and bake healthy, but this weekend I'm gonna bake something really bad, it's part 2 of the birthday weekend. 🙂 Give it a try.
Happy belated birthday! Hope you enjoyed your birthday Honey. Love chocolate. Anything with gets a thumbs-up in my book. 🙂
Thanks Anne, I did enjoy my birthday. I love chocolate too. 🙂
Happy belated birthday! Thanks for being honest in your review. I probably would have added Greek yogurt or some applesauce to help the cake become less dry. Mmm, now I want some chocolate bread.
Eva.. I'm nothing if I'm not honest! 🙂 Yeah, definitely needs additional moisture, I don't know, maybe I did something wrong.
Happy birthday. Sounds like you had a fun weekend. The cake looks delicious!
Thanks Pam. It was a fun weekend.
Happy belated birthday Nisha! Looks you had a great birthday weekend (it's okay to be greedy on special occasions :D) …Jawani Deewani was a good choice 😀
Thanks Nisha. Haha.. I know, hence why I probably passed out the next day… being too greedy. Did you watch the movie? I thought it was awesome.
Yep I did, the weekend it released. Stood in line for two hours first time for a movie – it was definitely not THAT worth it, but was good entertainment for sure 😀
Looks yummy! Hope you had fun Friday night aaand napping Saturday 🙂
Happy Belated Birthday!
Thanks Laura.. haha.. yes, definitely don't forget the saturday nap. 🙂
Happy Birthday! And this bread does look delicious. I have a favorite banana chocolate bread I make often and a lot of different ones that use pumpkins, apples, etc. I love quick breads!
Yes, it was definitely good in taste, just a bit dry. I love breads too, so far my favorite is my Pumpkin Banana Bread.
Well dry or not, it doesnt look dry. Maybe you could have added more banana?
3 hours nap on Saturday- looks like you did have a fun Friday night! 🙂 And a fun birthday! Wish you many more happy ones!
Yeah, it doesn't look dry. Next time will add more banana. haha.. it was a fun Friday night, but I think I was probably starting to get sick by Saturday, hence why I passed out. Thanks Shumalia!
Hi Nisha,
Belated Happy Birthday! The bread looks incredible! Cannot imagine it not turning out good, the pictures look awesome.
Thank you Asmita. It was good, just a bit dry.
Many Many happy returns of the day 🙂
Wishing you a wonderful day and year ahead.
Keep cooking and posting. Your cake recipe are the best and so easy to follow and make.
Thanks Hash. That's so sweet of you to say, I try my best to cook as often as possible, but sometimes it's hard to cook and post while working. I love blogging though, will keep doing it while I still love it. Thanks for your sweet comment.
Nap, surprises and a delicious banana bread — what a wonderful birthday!! 🙂
LOL.. yes nap.. thanks Kiran. 🙂
Uaaau this is amazing:) Love it!
haha.. thanks.
I am obsessed with banana bread and the dark chocolate caught my eye… but coconut sold me and now I must try this recipe!
Thanks!
banana and chocolate is a match made in heaven. Love it! Coconut is very prominent in this bread.