This Tropical Banana Bread is the best way to use up those ripe bananas on the counter. Adding cherries, pineapple, and coconut makes this sweet bread a favorite in our house.
This weekend we experienced a chill in our weather. It dropped into the 30's overnight and then was extremely windy, rainy, and chilly the whole weekend. When your body is used to it being in the 80's, that is a big change.
Our youngest son had two soccer games on Sunday, so that morning he and I loaded everything up and headed out to the field. Apparently, I can't ready the team app very well though because we got there and found out the game had been cancelled. At first I was slightly annoyed that I had misread everything wrong, but then I realized that meant I didn't have to sit for an hour and half in the 45 degree weather. Thank heavens!
By the time we had to go back for the second game, the chill was out of the wind and the sun was out, so it wasn't as bad to be outside.
It's chilly days like that that make me crave tropical desserts! Bring on all the Pina Colada Bundt Cakes and Pineapple Orange Punch, so I can pretend that I am sitting on a sandy beach.
Bananas one of the most used ingredients in our house. Mostly because I usually buy two big bunches each week. The first bunch usually goes pretty quickly, but the second one ends up sitting there until they are brown.
No complaining here because I love to bake with bananas! Breads, cakes, cookies...they are all perfect for those brown bananas!
This tropical banana bread has quickly become my absolute favorite sweet bread. Well, for now anyway. Once summer gets here, I start to crave this Lemon loaf and Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread.
To give this bread a tropical flair, I added coconut, cherries, and crushed pineapple. You guys, it is seriously so good! So good that you can't stop eating it. That's a good bread!
Now you could just dive into this bread as soon as it cools. With all the extras in it, it is great by itself. But this is me you are talking to. I love a glaze on top of sweet breads. Yes, I realize that makes it more of a loaf cake.
But since I made it in a bread pan, it's always going to be bread to me. To finish it off, I sprinkled some toasted coconut on top and then sat there impatiently while it was setting up.
As soon as I sliced into it and ate one slice, I knew I was a goner. This sweet bread will be one we make over and over and over again. I will never get tired of that sweet tropical taste with soft fluffy banana bread. It's amazing!!!
Recipe
Tropical Banana Bread
This Tropical Banana Bread is the best way to use up those ripe bananas on the counter. Adding cherries, pineapple, and coconut makes this sweet bread a favorite in our house.
Ingredients
For the Bread
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups mashed ripe banana
- 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drain well & save juice
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 cup diced maraschino cherries, patted dry
For the Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 Tablespoons pineapple juice
- ¼ cup toasted coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 (9x5) loaf pans with nonstick baking spray.
- Beat the sugars, oil, eggs, banana, pineapple, and extracts until mixed well.
- Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and slowly add to the wet mixture until it is all mixed in. Stir in the coconut and cherries gently.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into the 2 prepared pans. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
- Remove and let cool in the pans for 15 minutes before flipping out onto a wire cooling rack.
- Stir together the powdered sugar and 3 Tablespoons pineapple juice If it is too thick, add the extra Tablespoon of juice.
- Pour the glaze over the top of both cooled loaves. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Let the glaze set before slicing the bread.
Notes
*You can also bake this bread in muffin tins for 25 minutes or in mini loaf pans for 30-35 minutes.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 289Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 121mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 3g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Jeanette
Looks like a yummy change up from traditional banana bread. Question?? Every coconut extract I've bought or ordered, smells like suntan lotion,Yuk! To afraid to use it, for fear of baking an inedible product. Do you have a suggestion?
Jocelyn
LOL! So I had to run to my pantry and smell my extract. Yeah, it does kind of have a suntan lotion smell, but I use it all the time and my food never tastes like suntan lotion. I usually buy McCormick spices and extracts, so I would recommend that brand. If you still are afraid to use it, just use vanilla instead. It will still taste amazing!
Patricia cyman
Do have to use rum extract or can you use vanilla or orange extract instead
Jocelyn
You can honestly use whatever extract you would prefer instead of the rum extract. I hope you enjoy the bread.
Nancy
Just made these this morning as muffins for my mother's assisted living facility. Turned out great. Thank you for the recipe.
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
Love the tropical flavors! It's been snowing this week, and I'd love to pretend that I'm somewhere tropical with a couple slices of this bread!
Nancy
How many muffins would this make? It looks yummy and I'm sure the people at my mom's assisted living facility would just love these.
Jocelyn
I'm not really sure how many muffins as we have only done the bread with this one. I am giving estimates for muffins and mini loaves based on other banana ones that I have done before. I'm guessing since the recipe makes 2 loaves, it would be about 30 muffins? But I can't say for sure.
Pat
Could unsweetened apple sauce be substituted for the bananas? I detest bananas, and like the other fruits in this.
Thanks, PM
Jocelyn
I have honesty only made this bread with bananas, so I am not sure how it would be if you sub applesauce instead. If you try it let me know how it works for you.
Sarah @ Sarah's Bake Studio
This looks delish! I love banana bread so I am definitely interested in trying banana bread with a tropical twist. Pinned!