Coconut Cream Banana Nut Bread

A pleasant banana bread hiding a sweet surprise inside. It brings back memories of home. Leave the nuts out if you must.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Yields: 20 slices

Ingredients

• 2  cups flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine, softened
• 1⁄2 cup  packed brown sugar
• 2  eggs, slightly beaten
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  cup  mashed banana
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped walnuts or 1⁄2 cup pecans
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1⁄4 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1  egg
• 1⁄2 cup  shredded coconut

Directions

1. Thoroughly grease the bottoms and sides of 2 loaf pans; set aside.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
3. Beat butter on high speed for about 30 seconds.
4. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar, beaten eggs and vanilla; beat until well mixed.
5. Add flour mixture and banana alternately to beaten mixture; beating on low after each addition.
6. Stir in nuts.
7. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup brown sugar and the 1 egg until smooth.
8. Stir in coconut.
9. Pour 1/4 of the banana batter into each pan.
10. Spoon 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture over each loaf.
11. Marble each by using a spatula to cut cream cheese into the banana batter.
12. Repeat the 2 layers as above but do not marble them.
13. Bake in a 350°F oven for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
14. Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
15. Remove loaves from pans and cool completely.