Coffee-filled Banana Bread Stacks

My husband really, really liked this coffee-flavored banana bread.  The coffee flavor in the bread itself is subtle, but in the frosting, because the granules of coffee don’t completely dissolve, you get a burst of coffee flavor.  If you don’t want to go to as much trouble as the cookbook does, slice the bread as usual, trim and square them up,  frost between 2 or 3 slices, cut in squares or triangle.  Kids and husbands will eat the trimmings.

 Coffee-filled Banana Bread Stacks

  1 ½      Cups  Flour, All-purpose

  1 ½      Teaspoons  Baking Powder

     ¼      Teaspoon  Baking Soda

     ¼     Teaspoon  Salt

  2         Teaspoons  Instant Coffee Granules

  4        Teaspoons  Hot Water

  1        Large  Egg

  1        Cup  Banana -- mashed (3 medium)

     ¾    Cup  Sugar

     ¼    Cup  Salad Oil

     ½    Cup  Pecans -- finely chopped, toasted

Coffee Filling

  1        Teaspoon  Instant Coffee Granules

  2        Tablespoons  Milk

  2        Tablespoons  Butter -- softened

  1        Cup  Powdered Sugar -- sifted

     ½    Teaspoon  Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease bottom and 1/2" up sides of an 8 x 4 x 2" loaf pan; set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

Dissolve coffee in the hot water in another bowl.  Add egg, banana, sugar and cooking oil.  Stir till combined.  Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture.  Stir just till moistened.  (Batter should still be lumpy).  Fold in pecans.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared pan.  Bake in the preheated oven for 50 - 55 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.  Wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 12 hours.

Mix together coffee filling.

Unwrap loaf; trim top of loaf with a serrated knife so it is even.  Trim 1/4 inch from bottom and sides of loaf.  Slice loaf horizontally into three even slices.  Spoon half of the coffee filling over one slice, and spread evenly with a knife.  Top with another slice.  Spoon remaining filling over stacked slices and spread evenly.  Top with remaining slice.  Cut stacked loaf crosswise into 2 even squares.  Cut diagonally through each square to make 4 triangles, then cut each triangle in half.  You should have 16 triangles total.

Secure each stack with a decorative skewer.  Arrange stacks on a serving platter.

16 Servings

Filling:  Dissolve coffee granules in milk; set aside.  Beat butter (no substitute) in a small mixing bowl on medium high speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well.  Slowly beat in coffee mixture and vanilla.  Beat in additional milk if necessary to make spreading consistency.

To make ahead, don't assemble until 30 minutes before serving.

2013 Cost per Recipe:  $3.55

 "BH&G Holiday Cooking"

Per Serving: 194 Calories; 8g Fat (34.8% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 17mg Cholesterol; 119mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.