Hawaiian Sweet Bread With Orange Glaze

A tropical sweet yeast bread that takes its character from two pieces of fruit: crushed pineapple folded into the dough and a single mashed banana beaten into the wet ingredients. Together they make the loaf moist, faintly fruity, and golden inside; a cream cheese, honey, and shredded coconut glaze finishes it as part bread, part dessert.

Drain the pineapple aggressively. Canned crushed pineapple holds a lot of juice that would water down the dough; press it in a sieve until it stops dripping, then reserve the juice and add it to the orange juice for the warm liquid measurement.

Bake in a 2-quart casserole with high sides, not a standard loaf pan. The dough rises high and wide, and a regular pan will overflow. The casserole shape gives it a domed, rustic look that suits the bread’s tropical character.

Don’t add the glaze while the bread is hot. Cream cheese melts into a thin puddle that runs off the loaf. Cool 5 minutes before unmolding, then another 15 minutes before glazing for a thick, fluffy topping that stays on top.

Pro Tips

• Use a very ripe banana with brown spots. Underripe bananas don’t mash smoothly and lack the deep banana flavor the bread needs.
• Beat the cream cheese and honey thoroughly before folding in coconut. Lumpy glaze can’t be smoothed out once the coconut goes in.
• Shred fresh coconut if you have it; the texture and flavor are noticeably better than dried sweetened.
• Wrap leftover bread tightly and store at room temp for 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. The glaze freezes well too.

Variations

• Add 1 cup of macadamia nuts (chopped) to the dough for crunch and a true Hawaiian touch.
• Substitute mango puree for the banana for a different tropical fruit profile.
• Toast the coconut for the glaze for deeper, nuttier flavor and a slight crunch.