Hawaiian Banana Bread with Coconut and Pineapple

Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F).

Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some paper hanging over the sides for easy removal.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas.

Add the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.

Stir in the drained crushed pineapple and shredded coconut.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture.

Stir gently just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix, as this can make the bread dense.

Fold in the chopped pecans or walnuts if using.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.

Bake for approximately 55–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil during the final part of baking.

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.

Lift it out using the parchment paper and transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing.

For extra Hawaiian flavor, sprinkle the top with a little shredded coconut before baking.

You can also drizzle the cooled loaf with a simple glaze made from:

Mix until smooth and drizzle over the bread.

Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best flavor.
Drain the pineapple thoroughly. Too much liquid can make the bread soggy.
Don’t overmix the batter.
Let the loaf cool before slicing so it has time to set properly.
Toasting the coconut slightly before adding it gives the bread an especially delicious flavor.

Keep the cooled banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days or refrigerate it for up to 1 week.

You can also wrap individual slices and freeze them for up to 3 months.