Jammin' Jamaican Banana Bread

This is a fun variation of a banana bread recipe. Banana definitely takes a back burner to the citrus flavors. The lime, lemon, and the rum, are the flavors that pop out. The brown sugared cocoanut on top complete this 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

Glaze:

• 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. Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly grease loaf pan.
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. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
4. In a different bowl, mix together the bananas, milk, 2 tablespoons rum, lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract; stir well.
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. 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. 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.

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