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Hawaiian Banana Bread with Macadamia, Pineapple & Coconut

Hawaiian banana bread with macadamia, pineapple & coconut bakes into a golden loaf with a tender, moist crumb. The method folds in toasted nuts and coconut for tropical bursts in every slice.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

unsalted butter
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
light brown sugar
  • 0.75 cup light brown sugar packed
granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
eggs
  • 2 eggs large, room temperature
vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
bananas
  • 3 bananas ripe, mashed
crushed pineapple
  • 0.5 cup crushed pineapple well drained
sour cream
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
all-purpose flour
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda
baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
macadamia nuts
  • 0.75 cup macadamia nuts chopped, lightly toasted
sweetened shredded coconut
  • 0.5 cup sweetened shredded coconut toasted
coarse sugar (optional, for topping)
  • 1 tbsp coarse sugar optional

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 loaf pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy lifting.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Beat the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. You should see the mixture turn paler and look thicker.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop once each egg is fully incorporated and the batter looks smooth.
  3. Mix in the vanilla extract until evenly distributed. The batter should smell fragrant and look consistent.
  4. Stir in the mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, and sour cream until smooth. Stop when no dry streaks remain and the mixture is uniform.
Combine dry ingredients
  1. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Mix until the leaveners and salt are evenly dispersed with no visible clumps.
Assemble loaf
  1. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix—stop as soon as the flour disappears to keep the crumb tender.
  2. Fold in the toasted macadamia nuts and toasted shredded coconut until evenly distributed. You should see nuts and coconut speckled throughout the batter.
  3. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Tap the pan lightly on the counter so the top settles evenly.
  4. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar and a small amount of toasted shredded coconut, if desired. The surface should look sparkly and lightly textured.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake for 60–70 minutes at 350°F, or until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil near the end of baking.
  2. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing so the center sets.

Notes

For the best tender crumb, drain the crushed pineapple well before mixing so you don’t loosen the batter. Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; freeze sliced portions for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a slightly lighter option, use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream to keep the loaf moist.