1cuppacked light brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
¾cupsugar
2largeeggspreferably at room temperature
1 ½teaspoonspure vanilla extract
2tablespoonsdark rum or Malibu coconut rumoptional
4mediumvery ripe bananasmashed (you should have 1 ½ - 1 ¾ cups)
½cupcanned unsweetened coconut milkregular (stir well before measuring) or “lite” (or whole milk, buttermilk, sour cream, or plain yogurt)
1cupsweetened shredded coconutpreferably toasted - or an equal amount of moist, plump dried fruit, such as currants, raisins, chopped apricots, cranberries, blueberries, or halved cherries, or a combination of coconut and dried fruit
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
16ozcream cheese
1/2cupbutter1 stick
2cupssifted powdered sugar
1tablespoonvanilla extract
Instructions
Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 13x9 cake pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy.
Add the sugars and beat at medium speed for a couple of minutes, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the vanilla and rum. You’ll have a beautiful satiny batter.
Now lower the speed and add the bananas-the batter will curdle, but that’s fine; it will come together as you add the remaining ingredients.
Still on low speed, add the dry and liquid ingredients alternately, adding the flour mixture in three portions and the coconut milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients). Mix just until everything is incorporated.
Switch to a rubber spatula and gently stir in the coconut.
Pour batter into your prepared 13x9 pan
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the cake is a deep golden brown.It should start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a thin knife inserted into the center will come out clean.
Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes, then unmold and invert onto another rack to cool to room temperature right side up.
For the Frosting:
Soften the cream cheese and butter, but don't let it get warm, just take the chill off. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar until completely combined. Beat in the vanilla. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.