Banana Coffee Cake

That went fast. Winter break, that is. Just as I was settling into a routine that made me happy, BAM!, time to go back to school. Here comes the end of blissfully baking the day away–and the start of mountains of homework again. What was I thinking?

I could have graduated last semester. I should have. Instead, a class popped up that I couldn’t resist and the next thing you know… well, here I am. Sitting in the common area surrounded by kids who were in grade school when I should have finished this the first time around. I feel so old.

Some things are the same: the bustling bodies surrounding silver tables and blue chairs in the tiled hallway, full of youth and promise. Other things have changed: my beloved pork lo mein from the Chinese restaurant down the street appears to be the product of an altered recipe. It wasn’t for the better. Still, this is my world in the hallowed halls of learning, if only for one more semester before I say goodbye and rejoin the real world. Sniff.

The first morning, instead of preparing for the day like I should have, I was frantically throwing together a recipe so it would be baked and photo-ready before I had to leave. Remind me not to do that again. The banana chocolate chip streusel coffee cake was a little under-baked and it was too hectic trying to photograph it when I should have already been in the car, on my way… At least I baked, but I’m not sure how much longer I can continue making a recipe a day for the blog. I will keep trying though. Somehow.

And I’ll keep trying to get through my days at school where I don’t quite fit in, yet I feel so comfortable. At the end of the day, there’s coffee cake waiting for me. It’ll be alright!

Banana Coconut Pecan Chocolate Chip Streusel Coffee Cake
adapted from Buns In My Oven

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (would increase to 3/4 cup next time)
• 1/2 cup toasted sweetened flaked coconut (would increase up to 1 cup next time)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened if not soft at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 3 large, very ripe bananas, mashed
• 3-4 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8″x8″ baking dish and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the chocolate chips, brown sugar, pecans, coconut, and cinnamon. In another mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In yet another bowl (did I mention there are a lot of dirty dishes after this?), beat together the butter, coconut oil, and egg. Stir in the mashed bananas and yogurt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just incorporated.

Spread half the batter in the bottom of the 8″x8″ baking dish. Sprinkle half the streusel over the batter, then spread the rest of the batter over the streusel layer. Sprinkle the rest of the streusel over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (highly recommend doing that–in my haste today, I skipped the toothpick and it was a little underdone at 45 minutes). Cool completely before serving.