This super moist and flavorful banana bread is inspired by the breads and cakes popular in the Caribbean and the South American countries Suriname and Guyana. A combination of sweet potato cake (think sweet potato pone) and tropical-style banana bread, this batter can be baked in muffins tins, a bread pan, or cake pans. Candied pecans sprinkled on top add delicious crunch.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup mashed sweet potato (from 1 medium sweet potato)
- 2 very ripe (black) bananas
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/3 cup coarsly chopped pecans
Preparation:
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (or line cupcake tins with papers).
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Make the candied pecans: Melt 1/4 cup sugar with 2 tablespoons water in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When sugar is dissolved and starting to melt, add the coarsly chopped pecans and stir. Cook until liquid is absorbed and nuts appear to have a white crystal sugar coating. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Mash the bananas with the sweet potatoes in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
- In a third bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the bananas and the sweet potatoes. Add the liquid ingredients and stir until just mixed.
- Stir in the finely chopped nuts and the coconut.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. (If making muffins, fill muffin papers full).
- Chop the sugared pecans a little more finely, and sprinkle over the top of the batter.
- Place pan in the oven and lower the temperature to 350 degrees.
- Bake until cake is domed and springs back to the touch at the highest point (about 40 minutes for the loaf pan and about 12-20 minutes for the muffins, depending on their size).
- Remove and let cool before slicing.
Makes one bread loaf, about 10 jumbo muffins, or about 20 regular sized muffins.
