Recipe: Jamaican Banana Bread

I've never been to Jamaica, so I don't know if it's authentic or not, but the recipe sure sounds good!

Jamaican Banana Bread

2 TBS butter or margarine softened
2 TBS (lowfat) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup milk
2 TBS dark rum (or 1/4 tsp imitation rum extract and 2 TBS water)
1/2 tsp grated lime rind
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 flaked sweetened coconut

Topping:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp butter or margarine
2 tsp lime juice
2 TBS dark rum (or 1/4 tsp imitation rum extract and 2 TBS water)
2 TBS chopped pecans, toasted
2 TBS flaked sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 375 F. To prepare the bread, beat 2 TBS butter and cream cheese cheese at medium speed of a mixer; add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg; beat well.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring well. Combine banana and next 5 ingredients (banana through vanilla) stirring well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped pecans and 1/4 cup coconut.

Pour batter into a loaf pan coated with cooking spray, bake at 375 F for 1 hour. Cool in pan 10 minutes, remove from pan. Cool slightly on a wire rack.

To prepare topping, combine brown sugar and 2 tsp each butter, lime juice and rum in a saucepan, bring to a simmer. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tbs each pecan and coconut, spoon over loaf.

Pam