Jamaican Banana Bread

No more Plain Jane banana bread for me. If I had known this recipe was going to taste so divine, with the hints of lime, rum, and coconut. Well, I would have made it in 1997 when I ripped it from a Cooking Light Magazine. It makes me sick to think of all the years I forced people to eat my dry banana bread. All I can do is ask for their forgiveness.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons stick margarine, softened

2 tablespoons tub light cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed ripe banana

1/2 cup skim milk

2 tablespoons dark rum

1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind

2 teaspoons lime juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons margarine

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 teaspoons dark rum

2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted

2 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.

2. Beat 2 tablespoons margarine and cheese at medium speed of a mixer; add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg; beat well.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir well. Combine banana and next 5 ingredients (banana through vanilla); stir well. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in 1/4 cup pecans and 1/4 cup coconut.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Let cool slightly on a wire rack.

5. Combine brown sugar and 2 teaspoons margarine, lime juice, and rum in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook 1 minute; stir constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons each pecans and coconut; spoon over loaf.