Hawaiian Nut Bread

This tropical banana bread goes full island with crushed pineapple and honey standing in for refined sugar. The result is a moist, dense loaf with a natural sweetness that tastes like a Hawaiian vacation for your taste buds.

Six cups of banana is a serious amount of fruit, and it shows. The crumb is incredibly moist, almost pudding-like in the center, with cinnamon warmth running through every bite. Crushed pineapple adds pockets of tangy sweetness and extra moisture that keeps these loaves from drying out even after a few days.

The recipe makes two full loaves, so bake one for now and wrap the second one tightly for the freezer. It thaws beautifully.

Chef Tips

• Use the ripest, most spotted bananas you can find. Brown bananas are sweeter and mash more smoothly.
• Drain the crushed pineapple thoroughly. Squeeze it in a mesh strainer or paper towels. Too much liquid makes the bread gummy.
• Stir the batter just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Lumps are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and makes quick bread tough.
• Test with a toothpick at 45 minutes. The high moisture content from all that fruit means it can take the full 55 minutes.

Variations

• Use macadamia nuts for an even more Hawaiian flavor.
• Add shredded coconut to the batter for extra tropical texture.
• Swap honey for maple syrup if you prefer a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness.