This moist banana pineapple bread is a delicious quick bread recipe similar to classic banana bread but with a tropical twist with sweet pineapple flavor!
Enjoy this Hawaiian banana bread as individual slices for a sweet breakfast treat, snack, or dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
This bread is an upgrade from a classic banana bread with an addition of more tropical elements such as coconut and pineapple. Try this banana cake with coconut next.
Love the tropical vibe? Try our Pineapple Pancakes, Mango Smoothie next!
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Ingredients
- Mashed bananas - Brown and overripe. The riper, the better! Aim for bananas that are super soft and extra sweet. Green or simply ripe bananas won't do justice to the flavors we're aiming for here. 2 ½ medium bananas equal 1 cup of mashed banana.
- Canned or fresh pineapple cubes - Drain the juice. Reserve some of the canned juice for making the coconut glaze. Crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits can also be used in this moist banana bread. Or use fresh pineapple and cut it very finely.
- Coconut flakes - I prefer unsweetened shredded coconut, but you can choose sweetened for extra sweetness. The bread is already sweet enough, especially if using nicely ripened bananas.
- Egg - At room temperature. Eggs add texture to banana bread.
- Sugar - Light brown sugar and white sugar. Light brown sugar is the key to enhancing flavor and adding extra sweetness. But you can use dark brown sugar as well or substitute with other alternatives for brown sugar.
- Pure vanilla extract - A teaspoon of coconut extract could also be added for more coconut flavor.
- Flour - I used my gluten-free blend but an all-purpose flour will work for non-gluten-free folks too. For GF options, I also love Schar or Bob's Red Mill.
- Baking powder and baking soda - Baking powder and baking soda are essential for fluffy, well-risen bread. Remember to check the expiry date of these ingredients for optimal rise and sponginess.
- Salt - Warm spices such as cinnamon could also be added to this moist pineapple banana bread recipe.
- Olive oil - Coconut oil (scented or unscented) or vegetable oil can be used instead. Melted butter is another option.
- Vanilla extract - pure and not the artificial kind. Vanilla is great for any quick bread or muffins. Feel free to experiment with other natural extracts such as rum extract (or add your favorite rum for moist texture and flavor), almond extract, or lemon.
- Spices - No need for extra ingredients. This bread is bursting with flavors! However, for a playful twist, consider adding 1 teaspoon of high-quality ground cinnamon (I recommend Saigon) or other aromatic spices like nutmeg, cardamom, or ginger.
- To add more sweetness you can use your favorite glaze or frosting. I like to make a simple Coconut glaze. A cream cheese frosting will taste delicious here too.
Step by step instructions + photos can be found below the recipe card.
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Can You Make This Banana Bread Into Muffins?
Yes! Quick bread recipes can be easily transformed into delicious muffins. Follow the recipe instructions, prepare the batter, and then pour it into a greased muffin pan (or use muffin liners).
Don’t overfill the tins and leave about a ¼ inches free space from the top.
Bake them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, approximately 25-30 minutes for the large muffins, and around 18-20 minutes for the smaller ones.
Tips
- Since every oven differs, I recommend checking on your bread after 40 minutes of baking. If the loaf requires further baking but the top is getting too brown, cover the entire loaf with aluminum foil for the rest of the time. I recommend baking the bread on the middle rack of the oven.
- I always prefer to eat this sweet bread within 2 days of baking for the best texture and taste, but it can be stored longer in the fridge.
- If you have two bread loaf tins available, you can easily double the ingredients to make a second loaf and store the first loaf in the freezer to enjoy later. It freezes beautifully! Read more on storing the quick bread in the Storage section of this post.
- It’s normal for the batter to be very sticky, similar to the texture of bubblegum. With that in mind, it can take a little time for the batter to settle evenly in the loaf tin.
- Reserve some of the canned pineapple juice when draining the pineapple chunks. This can be used to make the coconut glaze and adds delicious flavor.
- You can replace the pineapple with grated apples which will be equally delicious but will change the flavor profile quite a bit.
- Avoid over-mixing the batter to ensure a tender bread texture. Overdoing it can result in toughness.
Mini Banana Bread
Just like my cranberry orange loaves, you can make this bread in mini loaf pans too. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F and bake for approximately 25-35 minutes. Keep a close eye on the loaves, as baking times may vary depending on your oven.
How To Serve Banana Bread?
Quick breads are delicious for serving as a quick breakfast or packing school lunches and snacks. To make it a tasty dessert serve it with:
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- With nut butters
- Jam and preserves
- Caramel sauce
- Or a simple coconut sugar glaze: ¾ cup powdered sugar + 2-3 teaspoons pineapple juice (from the canned pineapples) and coconut flakes to taste. Whisk together the glaze ingredients and generously drizzle it over the cooled bread. Any extra glaze can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Julia's Tip
A kitchen scale is a must-have for perfect baking results.
Personally, I recommend investing in a good digital scale. With a proper scale, you'll get precise measurements every time.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store. Serve leftover pineapple banana bread, keep it in an airtight container on the countertop for 3-4 days. This is the easiest and most effective way to store it.
- For longer storage in the refrigerator, wrap the bread tightly in cling film and place it in an airtight container. It should stay fresh for about a week, but refrigeration can cause quick drying and staleness. Reheat in a toaster or microwave in small increments.
- To Freeze wrap the bread or individual slices in cling film and then in foil or airtight container to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months.
5 STAR REVIW
Just tried this yummy Pineapple banana bread! We just returned from Hawaii and wanted to try and replicate a bread we had there..this was even better. Easy recipe and followed it to the letter. I used bananas that had been frozen once they turned brown, fresh pineapple chopped into small pieces, unsweetend coconut & chopped walnuts.
- Marcia, our reader from Pinterest
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Recipe Card
Hawaiian Banana Bread
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup banana, mashed (about 2 ½ medium bananas)
- 1 ½ cups canned or fresh pineapple cubes, juice drained
- 2 tablespoons coconut flakes
- 1 large egg, room temp
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour, gluten free all purpose blend or regular flour, see notes
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease one 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, butter. I like to add a piece of parchment paper with overhangs instead to easily pull out the bread easily from the tin later. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix egg, sugars, vanilla, mashed banana, and oil.
- In a separate mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients. Mix on low until everything is combined. Don't overmix though.
- Gently stir the pineapple pieces and coconut into batter with a spatula. The batter: should be soft, sticky and you’ll have to spoon it into the tin. It doesn’t have a ‘’pourable’’ texture. Transfer the batter to a 9 x 5-inch loaf tin. Tap the tin a few times against an even surface to remove the air bubbles and make the batter even (however I like to ‘’move’’ the batter a little more towards the center, working from the sides up. Totally personal preference!).
- Make a small cut in the middle of the bread. Decorate with pineapple slices on top (optional).
- Bake for about 50 minutes or until the top is golden, the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs.
- Take the bread out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Don't leave the bread in the tin for too long, otherwise it will continue to cook and dry out in the end.
NOTES
- Drizzle the bread with optional coconut sugar glaze: ¾ cup powdered sugar + 2-3 teaspoons pineapple juice (from the canned pineapples) and coconut flakes to taste. Whisk together the glaze ingredients and generously drizzle it over the cooled bread. Any extra glaze can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Flour - I used my gluten-free blend but an all-purpose flour will work for non-gluten-free folks too.
- Mashed bananas - Brown and overripe. The riper, the better! Aim for bananas that are super soft and extra sweet. Green or simply ripe bananas won't do justice to the flavors we're aiming for here. 2 ½ medium bananas equal 1 cup of mashed banana.
- Canned or fresh pineapple cubes - Drain the juice. Reserve some of the canned juice for making the coconut glaze. Crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits can also be used in this moist banana bread. Or use fresh pineapple and cut it very finely.
- Since every oven differs, I recommend checking on your bread after 40 minutes of baking. If the loaf requires further baking but the top is getting too brown, cover the entire loaf with aluminum foil for the rest of the time. I recommend baking the bread on the middle rack of the oven.
- It’s normal for the batter to be very sticky, similar to the texture of bubblegum. With that in mind, it can take a little time for the batter to settle evenly in the loaf tin.
- Can you make banana bread muffins? Yes! Quick bread recipes can be easily transformed into delicious muffins. Follow the recipe instructions, prepare the batter, and then pour it into a greased muffin pan (or use muffin liners). Don’t overfill the tins and leave about a ¼ inch free space from the top. Bake them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, approximately 25-30 minutes for the large muffins, and around 18-20 minutes for the smaller ones.
- To Store. Serve leftover pineapple banana bread, keep it in an airtight container on the countertop for 3-4 days. This is the easiest and most effective way to store it.
- For longer storage in the refrigerator, wrap the bread tightly in cling film and place it in an airtight container. It should stay fresh for about a week, but refrigeration can cause quick drying and staleness. Reheat in a toaster or microwave in small increments.
- To Freeze wrap the bread or individual slices in cling film and then in foil or airtight container to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Instructions + Step By Step Photos
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan by greasing it with cooking spray or butter. Alternatively, you can line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal of the bread later.
- In a large bowl, combine the egg, sugars, vanilla, mashed banana, and oil.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, then add them to the wet ingredients, mixing on low until well combined.
- Gently fold in the pineapple pieces and shredded coconut using a spatula. The batter should be soft and sticky. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Tap the pan on a flat surface to remove air bubbles to ensure an even batter. Make a small cut in the middle of the bread so it rises evenly and decorate it with additional pineapple slices.
- Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until the top is golden, the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Quick tip: If the bread gets too brown towards the end, cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil until the end of baking.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Take care not to keep it in the pan for too long as the cake will still continue to cook in the middle making your bread dry.
FAQs
To prevent your quick bread from sinking in the middle, follow these tips. First, avoid over-mixing the batter. Quick bread prefers gentle stirring, so mix the ingredients just until combined. Additionally, be cautious of overfilling the pan and use the right size or slightly bigger loaf pan. Take care to store baking powder and soda the right way (dry and cool place and properly sealed), and check for the expiry date before use.
Yes. I’ve used olive oil in this sweet bread instead of melted butter and coconut oil would be a great substitute too. Since this dessert bread incorporates coconut flavor, it won’t affect the bread if you decided to use scented or unscented coconut oil.
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Amy
I'm curious about the coconut glaze, am I missing it? I don't see direction on it. Thank you!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Sorry, it is mentioned in the serving suggestions: https://theyummybowl.com/banana-pineapple-bread/#serving-suggestions
Lynette Dodson
Thanks Julia for all of these yummy recipes
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you so much Lynette!
Lynette Dodson
Love love love this..definitely gotta make some
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you!
Sophie
I had to cook it longer than 50 minutes (closer to 70 minutes), but the finished product was delicious! Didn't use coconut, and I didn't have any leftover pineapple to put on top so I thought to sprinkle some more brown sugar on top about 10 minutes into baking--should have done that earlier to make sure more br sugar stuck to the loaf, but it ended up a perfectly crunchy top. Love this recipe!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Sophie, yes it can be due to oven. But a toothpick test at 50 minutes is sure needed to check on the bread 🙂
Lisa
Loved this bread and so did my grandkids! So moist! I added chocolate chips!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
oh what a great addition!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Snack on this delicious tropical banana bread with pineapples, a perfect summer treat!