Hummingbird Bread
Warmly spiced, tropical, and packed with ripe bananas, crushed pineapple, toasted coconut, and pecans, hummingbird bread is like banana bread’s adventurous cousin—finished with a cloud of tangy cream cheese frosting.
1
loaf
Ingredients
Hummingbird Bread
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon optional, but recommended
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened, plus extra for pan
- 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 (240 g) ripe bananas about 1 cup mashed (spotted is best)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz (225 g) crushed pineapple undrained (1 small can)
- 1/2 cup (40 g) shredded sweetened coconut toasted if you like
- 1/2 cup (60 g) pecans chopped and lightly toasted, plus more for topping
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese softened
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
Equipment
- 9x5" Loaf Pan
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Wire rack
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take 2–3 minutes with a hand or stand mixer.
- Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth. Mix in mashed bananas and vanilla extract. The mixture may look a little curdled; that's normal.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until combined (do not over-mix).
- Fold in undrained crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until creamy and spreadable.
- Spread frosting generously over the cooled loaf. Top with extra chopped pecans if desired. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
This recipe freezes well. Wrap slices individually and thaw as needed. For nut-free: leave out pecans. Variations: use walnuts, add other spices, or swap coconut for extra nuts. For a lighter frosting, replace half the cream cheese with Greek yogurt.
Nutrition
Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 230mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1.9mg