Up your Banana Bread Game!

I think this is the best banana bread I have ever made. It's moist, full of flavor and just downright delicious. 

Start with really ripe bananas, let them hang out for a while, these sat around for a week.  Ripe bananas give the bread flavor.

I use a pastry blender to mash the bananas it makes the mashing process a snap!

Assemble the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Whisking the dry ingredients gets rid of any lumps and saves the extra step of sifting.

The addition of lime and rum are the secret weapons here. They make all the difference and do not leave them out!

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a standard loaf pan with butter. Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer, add sugar and beat well. Add egg and beat again. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, whisk. In another bowl combine mashed banana, milk, rum, grated lime rind, lime juice and vanilla. Add flour to butter mixture alternately with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix after each addition. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 60 minutes. Let cool in pan. Combine all topping ingredients in a small saucepan except coconut. Bring to a simmer and cook for a minute. Remove from heat, add coconut and spoon over loaf. 

And the finished product!

Here's what you'll need...
Bread:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp dark rum
1/2 tsp grated lime rind
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp lime juice
2 tsp rum
2 tbsp coconut

Enjoy! - Darryl