Jamaican Banana Bread Recipe (Peanuts)

Looking for a quick Jamaican themed dessert that can be served  at breakfast, lunch, dinner or in between? Try this easy and quick, mixer free peanut inspired banana bread recipe. Try serving it with your favourite coffee, ice cold milk and with a few slices of cheese. 

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas, peeled (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)

1/3 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cinnamon 

Pinch of nutmeg

3/4 cup sugar 

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 cup peanuts 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and butter a 4 x 8 inch loaf pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

3. Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.

4. Blend peanuts until slightly crushed then mix into batter.

5. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350°F (175°C), or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Remove from oven and place on wire rack or heat resistant counter top to cool in the pan for a few minutes. 

7. When cool, use bread knife to slice and serve with your favourite coffee, a cold glass of milk, slices of cheese or as is!

Jamaican Coconut Ginger Bun

We're in Lent inching towards Easter which means alot of bun and cheese as Jamaicans reflect on the life and death of Christ. If you're tired of the same ole traditional buns here's a DIY coconut inspired recipe to try. If you do, leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out!

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Grace coconut milk
3 tbsps grated ginger
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups flour
3 tsps. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsps. cinnamon powder
2 cups grated coconut
1 cup soaked raisins
3 whole green cherries
3 whole red cherries

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C and grease a loaf/bun pan.

2. Beat egg and vanilla then add Grace Coconut Milk, melted margarine, grated ginger and sugar. Mix well until all the sugar granules are dissolved.

3. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, shredded coconut and soaked raisins.

4. Add half the dry ingredients to the liquid mixture and mix then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix well.

5. Scrape the batter in bun tin then decorate with green and red cherries.

6. Put to bake for about 1 hour.

*Recipe adapted from original Grace foods recipe book published in the Jamaica Observer.

Christmas Sweet Bread Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups flour 

3 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 cup margarine softened 

2 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut 1 cup white sugar 

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup cherries 

1/2 cup  mixed peel

1/2 cup Craisins or currants 

1 teaspoon mixed spice

6 fl oz milk 

1 egg beaten 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Glaze

1 tablespoon white sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon water 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Use Pam spray to loaf pans

2. Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl

3. Mix in the margarine, coconut, sugar, raisins, cherries, Craisins, mixed peel, and mixed spice.

4. Combine the milk, egg and vanilla in another bowl.

5. Add these liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until all the liquid is absorbed, do not need. 

6. Pour into the tool greased loaf pans and bake in the oven for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Remove from the oven and spread the glaze on top with pastry brush. Bake for additional 5minutes

8. Remove and cool on wire rack