My banana bread collection would not be complete without this tropical pineapple banana bread. Mashed banana along with crushed pineapple add a lot of moisture making this loaf incredibly soft and tender. Its tropical flavor gets an extra boost from a layer of toasty coconut flakes on top. And because I can’t make a single loaf of banana bread without brown butter, you’ll also find a kiss of nutty, toffee-like note that takes this loaf to the next level.
Making banana bread is seriously my side job with two toddlers at home. They somehow always ask for bananas when I have none and don’t even look at the bananas when I have a fresh bunch on the counter. That’s why it only took me two tries to perfect this tropical version.
I started with my trusty brown butter banana bread recipe, swapped out some of the mashed bananas for the crushed pineapple, but keeping the wet/dry ingredient ratio the same. It turned out perfectly the first time. I tested it the second time to make sure it wasn’t just a fluke. And guess what? NAILED IT! 👌
Key ingredients
🍌 The best banana bread starts with super ripe bananas. Like I mentioned, I have bananas going brown left and right throughout the week, so I usually peel, freeze and save them for this exact purpose – to make banana bread! To use previously frozen bananas, simply thaw and mash them up along with the liquid that releases during thawing.
Other key ingredients…
- Pineapple – I use canned crushed pineapple, no need to drain, just measure it with the juice. If you don’t have crushed pineapple, other types like pineapple tidbits, pineapple chunks will work too, but make sure to use the weight measurement, and chop them up smaller before using. I haven’t tested this recipe with fresh pineapple but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Again use weight measurement in this case and chop it up really finely or use a blender/food processor to crush it so you don’t end up with big ol’ chunks and mushy spots.
- Coconut flakes – I add sweetened coconut flakes on top of the banana bread before baking to create a toasty coconut crust on top. Unsweetened coconut can be substituted. You can also fold extra coconut into the batter, like my coconut banana bread, for more coconut flavor.
- Brown butter – My secret ingredient! The nutty caramel-like notes from brown butter pair beautifully with bananas, adding a deeper layer of flavor that truly makes this pineapple banana bread stand out from the rest.
How to make it
1. First, brown the butter
Make brown butter and set it aside to cool down just a bit. If you’re in a rush, warm brown butter is fine too.
2. Combine the wet ingredients
Mash the banana using a fork or potato masher (my preferred method!), then add pineapple, eggs, vanilla and brown butter. If your brown butter is still warm, I would beat all the other ingredients together first, then add the butter slowly while beating, sort of like tempering ice cream so it doesn’t cook the eggs. Beat until smooth.
3. Incorporate brown sugar
4. Stir in dry ingredients
Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into the wet ingredient mixture. Sprinkle the salt on top, spread it out evenly to make it easier to incorporate. I used to sift the dry ingredients into a separate bowl before, but I got lazy and found this way works just fine! 😜 Mix gently to form the batter.
5. Bake
Transfer your pineapple banana bread batter to a buttered and lined loaf pan. Sprinkle coconut flakes on top and bake until golden.
Let it cool before digging in so the inside finishes baking from the residual heat! My kids loved this tropical version and asked for it all week.
Hungry for more?
Moist Pineapple Banana Bread with Coconut
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 oz (113 g) unsalted butter, brown
- ⅚ cup (200 g) mashed banana, equal ½ cup + ⅓ cup
- ½ cup (125 g) crushed pineapple, with juice
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 ¾ cup (230 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon (12 g) sweetened coconut flakes, for topping
- Melted butter or baking spray for pan
Instructions
- Brown butter – Place the butter in a light colored saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, it will become foamy. When the foam subsides, you will see clear bubbles, start whisking continuously at this point to keep the milk solids from burning. When the butter is caramel in color and smells nutty – about 8 to 9 minutes – remove from heat and set aside to cool.4 oz unsalted butter
- Prepare wet ingredients – Mash the bananas with a potato masher in a large mixing bowl. Add crushed pineapple, cool brown butter, eggs and vanilla. Beat with a whisk until thoroughly combined.⅚ cup mashed banana, ½ cup crushed pineapple, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add sugar – Add brown sugar and beat again until completely incorporated.¾ cup brown sugar
- Combine dry ingredients – Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Sprinkle kosher salt on top. Mix gently with a whisk or a spatula until just combined, the batter can be lumpy and doesn’t need to be completely smooth. Cover with a towel and set aside.1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Preheat the oven – Set the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F while the batter rests.
- Prepare the baking pan – Brush a loaf pan generously with melted butter, line it with a longer piece of parchment paper leaving the excess hanging over the sides. Brush the top of the parchment paper with more melted butter.Melted butter or baking spray for pan
- Bake – Transfer pineapple banana bread batter to the prepared pan, sprinkle coconut flakes over the top and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter attached.2 tablespoon sweetened coconut flakes
- Cool – Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. To remove banana bread from the pan, simply lift it out using the excess parchment paper as handles.
Notes
- Storage: you can keep your banana bread in an airtight container at room temp for 3 days, and in the fridge for 1 – 2 weeks. Or you can freeze leftovers, wrapped in plastic individually, for 3-6 months.
- Reheating: I love serving banana bread slightly warm. Simply wrap a slice in plastic wrap or cover it with a damp paper towel, then microwave for 15–20 seconds until warmed through. If it’s frozen, heat it in short bursts, checking as you go until it’s perfectly warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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