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This Tropical Banana Bread is the softest, most buttery, moist banana bread you’ll ever have. It’s got pineapple, coconut, and toasted macadamia nuts for a sunny twist on a classic loaf. Some riffs on banana bread that I also love are my tahini banana bread and butter pecan banana bread, which you should definitely give a try.
This recipe is inspired by my trip to Maui. Hawaii is probably one of my favorite places to visit. I’ll never forget having the most incredible tropical banana bread on the Road to Hana, and I’ve been chasing that memory ever since. So I decided to make my own version. It’s a coconut-flaked, banana bread with bits of crushed pineapple, toasted macadamia nuts, and a cream cheese frosting. I love this recipe so much, it brings me back to that trip in Hawaii with every bite. If you’ve been dying to go back to Hawaii like I have, allow a few of my Hawaiian-inspired recipes to take you there for a moment like my poke bowl, pork katsu, and Hawaiian sweet rolls.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Tropical Banana Bread
- Ripe bananas – I like using bananas with brown speckles for the perfect natural sweetness, moisture, and the deep banana flavor.
- Crushed pineapple – A small amount keeps the crumb tender and adds tropical brightness. Be sure to drain it well so the batter stays balanced.
- Macadamia nuts – Toasted in butter, they add richness and a soft crunch. Pecans or walnuts are equally delicious here, but macadamias keep the tropical profile.
- Sweetened coconut flakes – These add texture and sweetness throughout the loaf while enhancing the coconut flavor.
- Coconut oil – Another layer of coconut flavor that adds to the tenderness of the loaf. You can substitute with a neutral oil if you don’t have it.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
Testing Notes
On the rare occasion when a recipe is perfect on the first try, it’s usually because I’ll use the base method of one of my previous recipes. This recipe is based on my butter pecan banana bread, but make it tropical. I knew I had to have pineapple and coconut in there. I was initially worried about the additional moisture from the crushed pineapple, but an extra few minutes in the oven did the trick!
The point is, a really good base recipe can get you far and open up a whole world of new recipes. I strongly encourage you to follow your cravings and experiment in the kitchen. Something so delicious can come of it!
How to Make Tropical Banana Bread
- Melt the butter and toast the nuts. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the coconut oil. Cool for 5 minutes.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the mashed bananas, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and drained pineapple into the butter mixture until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients. Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Fold in the flour and coconut flakes.
- Bake the loaf. Pour into the pan and bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until golden brown.
- Beat together the frosting ingredients.
- Frost and serve. Spread frosting over the top of the tropical banana bread, and finish with coconut flakes.
Quick Tips for the Best Tropical Banana Bread
Use ripe bananas. Riper bananas mash more easily and deliver a stronger flavor.
Allow the melted butter and toasted nuts mixture to cool before adding the eggs, otherwise they will begin to cook.
Cool the loaf fully before frosting. Warm bread will melt the cream cheese frosting.
Use a scale if you can, especially when measuring the wet ingredients, to avoid adding extra liquid, which can extend the baking time.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Storage: Store any leftover banana bread tightly wrapped with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Make Ahead: Bake the loaf one day in advance and frost before serving, or store frosting separately in the refrigerator.
If you tried this Tropical Banana Bread recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Tropical Banana Bread
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 (75g) cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
- 3 (37g) tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 ⅓ (300g) cups mashed bananas , (from 3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas)
- ¾ (150g) cup white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 3/4 ((195g) cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- ¼ teaspoon coconut extract, optional
Instructions
To Make the Banana Bread:
- Start by toasting the macadamia nuts. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt a stick of butter. Once the butter has melted, stir in the macadamia nuts and turn the heat to medium. Once the butter starts to bubble and foam up, cook the mixture for a full 2 minutes. Stir very frequently with a silicone spatula, making sure you scrape down the bottom of the pan. This will ensure nothing burns and the butter and macadamia nuts brown evenly.
- After 2 minutes, the macadamia nuts and butter should be very fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately transfer the butter macadamia nut mixture to a large bowl. Now add the coconut oil so it melts down and allow the mixture to cool slightly for 5 minutes.
- During the 5-minute cool down, preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease and line an 8-inch x 4-inch or a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan, and put a piece of parchment that spans just the center length with the ends of the parchment hanging over the edge of the pan for an easy way to release the loaf to cool. This cool-down period is also a perfect time to prep and mash the banana.
- After the 5 minutes are up, add the mashed banana, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, and crushed pineapple to the butter macadamia mixture and whisk to combine. Then, whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Finally, add the flour and use a large silicone spatula to mix everything just until the batter has come together, trying not to over-mix. Lastly, add in the sweetened coconut flakes and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 65-75 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Let the loaf cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then use the parchment paper to lift the loaf out of the pan and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely.
To Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer, add the cream cheese and beat it until smooth. Next, add the butter and beat it until smooth, about 15 seconds.
- Add the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, heavy cream, and coconut extract, if using. Beat for a full 2 minutes for fluffy and smooth frosting.
- Once the loaf is cooled, dollop the frosting over the top of the loaf and use the back of a spoon to swirl it all over. Sprinkle the top with more coconut flakes. Slice up the loaf.
Notes
Quick Tips
- Use ripe bananas. Riper bananas mash more easily and deliver a stronger flavor.
- Allow the melted butter and toasted nuts mixture to cool before adding the eggs, otherwise they will begin to cook.
- Cool the loaf fully before frosting. Warm bread will melt the cream cheese frosting.
- Use a scale if you can, especially when measuring the wet ingredients, to avoid adding extra liquid, which can extend the baking time.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Storage: Store any leftover banana bread tightly wrapped with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Make Ahead: Bake the loaf one day in advance and frost before serving, or store frosting separately in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What can I sub for the coconut oil? I’m starting this recipe and realized mine is expired!
Hi Danielle, I think I saw your answer on IG too but I think avocado oil, vegetable oil or even olive oil would work. It’s not too much so you shouldn’t even be able to taste the olive oil. 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
Just made this today for a couple friends and I and it was a hit to say the least. Keeping this recipe in rotation!
Thank you!!
This was absolutely delicious! Everyone loved it and I will definitely be using this over and over again!
Can I use and 8 x 8 pan instead of a loaf pan?
Yes that should work just fine. I would bake it for slightly less time. I’m guessing you’ll need to check it at the 45 minute mark and see if a skewer comes out clean!
I saw this recipe on IG, knew I immediately had to try it. It is SO GOOD!! Made it as a brunch dish and the girls ate it up!!
Amazing! Love to hear it, Halee! So glad you and your friends loved it. 🙂
This bread is delicious! I found this recipe due to having some ripe bananas and macadamia nuts to use up. It came out perfectly!
I didn’t make the cream cheese frosting this time, because I didn’t have cream cheese. Instead, I put some more shredded coconut on top before baking, and it was perfectly toasted by the end of the baking time.
This is a great recipe, and I will definitely be making it again in the future!
Hi Sarah! YAY! So glad you loved it. And love the idea of adding the coconut shreds on top. 🙂
I thought this turned out excellent! Browning the nuts in the butter added such a great extra layer of complexity to the bread. I didn’t have any perfectly ripe bananas for this so I baked some organic bananas that were about half brown in the oven till they were black and shiny. When they were done, I scraped the inside of the peel to get as much usable fruit as possible too. I helps to refrigerate the mashed baked bananas before using them so the oils that separate out can be stirred back . That also added some unique banana flavor! Yummy!
Hi Annie! Amazing. Smart move with the roasting of the bananas – I love this tip. And thanks for the info putting it in the fridge. Glad you loved it! 🙂
My daughter came for a visit this weekend and we both had a banana nut bread recipe to try – this was my pick
She made it and it was easy & excellent!! Very much like the banana bread on the road to Hana!
She baked it for 65 minutes and it was perfectly done – I never have that kind of luck!
Her recipe was choc chip banana bread with brownie batter in the midde – it looked great but she headed home without sharing lol
Amazing Sheri! So glad you loved it. YAY!
Best banana bread recipe ever!
We love to hear that! 🙂
I didn’t have macadamia nuts so I used walnuts. Followed the rest of the recipe exact. Turned out great. Will definitely make it again.
Hi Sonya, So glad you loved it! 🙂