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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 youโve 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 Youโll 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 ๐ star rating and let me know how it went in the ๐ 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 โ (300g) cups mashed bananas , (from 3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas)
- ยพ (150g) cup white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ยผ 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
- ยฝ cup sweetened coconut flakes, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 ยฝ cups powdered sugar
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- ยผ 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 350ยบF 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,ย 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.
The most delicious banana bread ever! Iโve made this recipe 3x already and canโt get enough!
Omg i love to hear it, Jenna! So happy!
This recipe is phenomenal! I have never made banana bread this moist in my life. Love your page and thank you so much!
Omg we love to hear this! YAY!
Can you substitute the sugar for honey?
I don’t recommend that. I do think that perhaps 1/3 cup of maple syrup would be ok!
How much vanilla is needed for the frosting? I noticed it says to add the vanilla in the frosting instructions but there isn’t any amount in the ingredients.
I hate coconut, but my sweet husband loves it. I came across this recipe and thought heโd love it. I was right! What I didnโt expect was me loving it too! This is delicious! Did I mention I HATE coconut? This is moist, fluffy, sweet and a texture heaven! And the smell while cooking is blissfully delicious! Even my mailman commented how good it smelled outside! Winner for sure!
OMG I love this! I can’t believe you hate coconut haha. And loved this? That’s wild but that makes me so happy! ๐
An absolutely win and perfectly delicious spin on the old classic. Wishing I had coconut flavoring on hand for the cream cheese I’ll definitely make sure to grab some the next time I make this recipe!
Amazing to hear, Sarah! YAY!
I want to use walnuts rather than macademia nuts….should I toast the walnuts in the same manner?
Yep exactly. I would use the exact same amount too. Let me know how it goes ๐
Me encantarรญa poder tener las recetas para poder probarlas, todo se ve delicioso!
gracias susana!
Thank you for the recipe.. however I just wanted to ask if I’m entirely allergic to nuts and remove them will the recipe change or I can use it as it it?
Thanks in advance.
Hi! You can simply remove it completely. It won’t effect it to much. So no need to fiddle with any of the other ingredients. ๐
What a fantastic and flavorful cake. The mix of textures is great too.
I had to substitute the macadamia nuts for walnuts since my macadamia nuts were roasted & salted. I also only have unsweetened coconut flakes, so another substitution. STILL. This made for a fantastic banana bread. It was a lot fluffier than how my normal banana breads come out. This was much more dessert-like.
Amazing to hear, Luke ๐ Love to hear it yay!! I do think the toasted and salted macadamia nuts could be good. I would just remove the salt in the bread all together. And I love that the unsweetened coconut was good! YAY!