Banana Bread with Jamaican Spices

 

This is our favorite banana bread, hands down.  Spicy, exotically fruity, crazy tasty, it’s just like the spice island we call Jamaica.  Totally unique, haunting, sexy, and irresistible.  And perfect for holidays, family gatherings and special events!

 

The secret is to grind the spices yourself, not using the tired sad store bought stuff.  You can easily order allspice and nutmeg from Amazon, and grind them yourself, in a coffee or spice grinder.  The difference is startling… all the difference in the world.  Along with fresh ginger, cloves and cinnamon, ripe bananas, shredded coconut, lime and dark rum, it’s just insanely addictive.  This banana bread is totally unique, haunting, sexy and irresistible. You’re going to love it, go ahead, give it a whirl! Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2 large eggs

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups overripe bananas (3 bananas)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 heaping teaspoon fresh ginger, grated to zest

3 tablespoons dark rum AFTER having simmered 5 tablespoons of rum VERY briefly, just to evaporate the alcohol

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon lime zest

1/4 cup apricot or mango yogurt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

2 teaspoon allspice, ground

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 teaspoon cloves, ground

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

Prep Work

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Apply butter or cooking spray to a 4 by 8 inch loaf pan and set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, coconut and whisk together.

Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix together well with a beater at medium speed.

Add eggs and beat them both slowly into the butter/sugar mixture. 

Add bananas, yogurt, rum, lime juice, lime zest, ginger, vanilla extract and honey and beat together.

Add flour and dry ingredients, beat together until moist and blended.

Place batter into loaf pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Using a toothpick or butter knife, insert into the loaf and when it comes out clean and not sticky remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack.  Enjoy!