ISLAND-STYLE BANANA BREAD

Island-Style Banana Bread

2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 slightly beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe banana (3 bananas)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
8 ounces cream cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of two loaf pans; set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.

In a large bowl beat butter with electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, the 2 eggs and vanilla extract; beat until combined. Add dry mixture and mashed banana alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Stir in pecans.

In a medium bowl beat cream cheese, remaining egg and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on medium speed until almost smooth. Stir in coconut.

Pour one-fourth of the banana batter into each loaf pan. Spoon one-fourth of the cream cheese mixture over each loaf. Using a spatula, cut through the batter to marble. Repeat the two layers as above, but do not marble. Bake about 50 minutes or until a wooden pick insert in center comes out clean.

Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove loaves from pans. Cool completely.