Hawaiian Banana Bread with Coconut and Pineapple

 

Nutritional Information

Per serving (approximate values):

• Calories: 320 kcal
• Protein: 4g
• Carbohydrates: 48g
• Fat: 14g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sodium: 210mg

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but recommended)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 very ripe medium bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, well-drained (from a 8-ounce can)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon (if using). Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Beat in the large egg until well combined, then stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Add the mashed bananas to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter; a few lumps are okay. Overmixing can lead to a tough bread.
7. Gently fold in the 1/2 cup of shredded coconut and the well-drained crushed pineapple using a spatula. Mix until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut over the top of the batter.
9. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
10. Once baked, remove the loaf pan from the oven and let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. This allows it to firm up and prevents it from crumbling when removed.
11. After cooling in the pan, carefully lift the banana bread out using the parchment paper overhang or invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.