DOMINICA
BANANA BREAD
To
taste truly creamy ripe bananas, take a vacation to the Caribbean. The Island of
Dominica is only a few miles from Martinique and Guadeloupe, the culinary
capitals of the Caribbean. Bananas were first brought to America in 1820 and are
botanically classified as a berry. The banana tree itself is actually a giant
herb. Banana bread makes a welcome gift and may be frozen. Serve at room
temperature with butter.
Banana Bread
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown
sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
2 teaspoons natural
banana flavoring
1/2 teaspoon imitation
rum flavoring
3 cups ripe mashed
bananas
4 cups all-purpose
flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon baking
powder
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
Coconut Topping
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple pie
spice
2/3 cup butter, melted
1.
Butter and flour six 5 3/4 x 3 1/4 x 2-inch foil loaf pans.
These pans are found at most grocery stores and are
mini-loaf
pans. Set pans on a baking sheet. Preheat the
oven to 350°
.
2. Bread:
In an extra large bowl, use a mixer to cream butter,
granulated
then add vanilla, banana flavoring, rum flavoring, and
mashed bananas.
3. Measure flour, salt, baking
powder and apple pie spice into
a sifter. Sift over batter, then beat 1 minute.
4. Divide batter evenly into the
prepared pans. Bake in the
preheated oven for
25 minutes.
5. Topping:
In a small bowl, mix coconut, brown sugar, apple
pie spice and butter. Sprinkle onto bread and bake an
additional
20 minutes.
6. Let the loaves cool completely
in the foil loaf pans. Then,
they may be
wrapped in a gift bag with a bow.
Makes 6 mini-loaves