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Fresh lime juice, coconut, and pecans add unique flavor to this tropical-inspired Jamaican Banana Bread with a sweet and sticky glaze. Banana bread with an island twist!

I use to have mixed feelings about banana bread. It’s okay and all, but it never really did that much for me.

Those feelings came to an abrupt end when I tried this Jamaican Banana Bread recipe and discovered that banana bread can be be cool, interesting and downright exciting. Seriously, exciting!

With the help of fresh lime, coconut, and pecans in the bread and the sticky-sweet glaze, this Jamaican Banana Bread becomes something far more interesting than basic, run-of-the-mill banana bread.

A sweet coconut-pecan glaze is poured over the top while the bread is still slightly warm. It’s what really what makes this whole tropical thing happen. The glaze is where it’s at!

• Wet ingredients: Softened butter, egg, milk, the zest and juice from a lime, pure vanilla extract.
• Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar.
• Cream cheese: A small amount of either regular or ⅓-less fat cream cheese add richness to the bread.
• Banana: Mashed overripe banana.
• Rum: Spiced rum, like Captain Morgan, adds great flavor to baked goods. I use it for this recipe and my Eggnog Thumbprint Cookies. Dark rum will do the trick if you happen to have it on hand, but I highly recommend using spiced rum if possible. Many liquor stores carry inexpensive mini travel bottles. If you want to omit the alcohol, you can substitute a little rum extract. See the recipe card below for the amounts.
• Nuts: Finely chopped pecans.
• Coconut: Sweetened flaked coconut.
• Coconut pecan glaze: Brown sugar, butter, lime juice, rum, chopped pecans, and sweetened, flaked coconut.

How to Make Jamaican Banana Bread

This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Using a handheld or stand hand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and then the egg, beating until creamy. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl combine the mashed bananas, milk, rum, lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract.
2. Using a wooden spoon, add stir in a little of the dry mixture into the batter.
3. Next, stir in a little of the banana mixture and continue adding a little of both, in increments, until all of both have been added and the batter is well combined.
4. Fold the pecans and coconut into the batter.

1. Pour the batter into a greased 9- x 5-inch loaf pan.
2. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer the loaf to a wire rack to continue cooling.
3. For the glaze, heat the brown sugar, butter, lime juice and rum in a small saucepan. Bring it to a low boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans and coconut.
4. Allow the glaze to rest for two minutes and then spoon it over the loaf while it is still slightly warm. The glaze will set up as the loaf cools.

Room Temperature: Transfer the banana bread to an airtight container or wrap well in plastic wrap or foil. Very moist baked goods like this glazed banana bread will last for about 4 days at room temperature.

Refrigerate: For longer storage, package as directed above and refrigerate the bread for up to 7 to 10 days.

Freezer: Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in a layer of plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer-safe plastic storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

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Print Jamaican Banana Bread

Fresh lime juice, coconut, and pecans add unique flavor to this tropical-inspired Jamaican Banana Bread with a sweet and sticky glaze. Banana bread with an island twist!

Course Bread

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 slices

Calories 267kcal

Author Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter softened
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese regular or ⅓ less fat Neufchatel
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed overripe banana from 2 bananas
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons spiced rum like Captain Morgan
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• ½ lime juiced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
• ¼ cup sweetened flaked coconut

For the Glaze

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ lime juiced
• 2 teaspoons spiced rum like Captain Morgan
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions

Jamaican Banana Bread

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously coat a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Using a handheld or stand hand mixer, beat together 2 tablespoons of softened butter and the cream cheese in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the egg and mix well.
• In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl combine the mashed bananas, milk, 2 tablespoons rum, lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract.
• Using a wooden spoon, alternate mixing the flour mixture and banana mixture into the creamed butter mixture, in increments, until all of both have been added and it is well combined. Fold in ¼ cup pecans and ¼ cup coconut. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer loaf to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Coconut Pecan Glaze

• Meanwhile, place the brown sugar, butter, lime juice and rum in a small saucepan over MEDIUM heat. Bring to a low boil stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, about one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons pecans and 2 tablespoons coconut. Let the glaze rest for two minutes and then spoon it over the loaf while it is still slightly warm. The glaze will set up as the loaf cools.

Notes

SubstitutionIf you’d like to omit the alcohol you can substitute 1 teaspoon rum extract in the batter and ¼ to ½ teaspoon in the glaze.StorageRoom Temperature: Transfer the banana bread to an airtight container or wrap well in plastic wrap or foil. Very moist baked goods like this glazed banana bread will last for about 4 days at room temperature.Refrigerate: For longer storage, package as directed above and refrigerate the bread for up to 7 to 10 days.Freezer: Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in a layer of plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer-safe plastic storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 205mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg

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