We Be Jammin' Jamaican Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup banana, mashed and over ripe
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons dark rum (or rum flavoring)
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut

Topping

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons dark rum (or rum flavoring)
• 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
• 2 tablespoons flaked coconut

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly grease loaf pan.

2. 2

   Beat together 2 tablespoons of softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until fluffy. Slowly beat in sugar until well combined. Add the egg and mix well.

3. 3

   Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.

4. 4

   In a different bowl, mix together the bananas, milk, 2 tablespoons rum, lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract; stir well.

5. 5

   Pour 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter and mix well. Mix in 1/2 of the mashed bananas. Continue with another 1/3 of the flour, followed by the remaining banana mixture, and finally the remaining flour. Fold in 1/4 cup pecans and 1/4 cup coconut flakes.

6. 6

   Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about one hour. When finished, cool for 10 minutes in the pan, remove, and finish cooling on a wire rack.

7. 7

   After you take the banana bread out of the oven, prepare the topping by stirring together the brown sugar, remaining butter, lime juice, and 2 teaspoons of rum in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer stirring constantly; cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, about one minute. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 tablespoons pecans, and 2 tablespoons coconut. Spoon this topping over the loaf while still warm. The topping will harden slightly when the loaf cools.