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Hawaiian Banana Bread Recipe

Are you looking for a super easy, but delicious banana bread? Try this Hawaiian Banana Bread recipe. It’s sure to delight your whole family! Scroll down for the full recipe!
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Hawaiian Banana Bread

This Hawaiian banana bread is as sweet and delicious as the ones you can get from a stand on the Road to Hana in Maui. Best of all? This is freezer friendly and can also be made as muffins!

When it comes to banana breads, there are few that are better than the ones you can get in Hawaii. It’s probably the bananas they use, or maybe the sugar that just seems to be sweeter there, but for some reason, their banana breads are just amazing. 

I spent months trying to make banana bread as rich and decadent as those and failing at it until one day, a friend sent me the actual recipe a Hawaiian vendor had shared with her.

Needless to say, I ran to the kitchen to make it, and the result was so good and so similar I knew I had found the one. 

Over the past couple of weeks, I incorporated some tricks and substitutions to be able to recreate those sweet Hawaiian bananas we don’t get here. Trust me when I say this is going to become your favorite banana bread recipe ever. 

Hawaiian Banana Bread Recipe featured by top Hawaii blog, Hawaii Travel with Kids.

How to Make this Hawaiian Banana Bread: 

There are 2 little secrets to getting the most Road to Hana inspired banana bread: 

  1. Sautee your banana before mashing them: The truth is, the bananas we get from our local supermarkets are not as sweet as the apple bananas you can find in Hawaii. So to make them feel as sweet, we need to use very ripe bananas and then saute them with a bit of coconut oil and some brown sugar until they almost caramelize. It’s an extra step but so worth it.
  2. The recipe also calls for 4 Tbsp shredded coconut, and oh my, it really amps up the sweetness while also giving the banana bread a slight coconut-y aroma that’s just to die for. While it’s not a must, it definitely helps!
Hawaiian Banana Bread Recipe by top Hawaii Blog Hawaii Travel with Kids

Can you freeze Hawaiian Banana Bread?

I love that this recipe is so freezer friendly! I love to slice it before baking it and then wrapping it in plastic wrap. Just take a slice when you are craving some sweet banana bread and toast for a couple of minutes. 

Hawaiian Banana Bread

Hawaiian Banana Bread Ingredients: 

  • 4 Bananas, ripe and sliced
  • 4 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 4 Tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ Cup oil
  • ¾  Cup brown sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 Tbsp shredded coconut
  • 2 Cups flour
  • 2 Tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 Tsp cinnamon
  • ½ Tsp nutmeg

How to Make Hawaiian Banana Bread

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. 

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the sliced bananas and the brown sugar and cook for around 3 minutes per side without stirring. Remove from the pan and transfer to a bowl to mash.
Mash with a fork and add the oil, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs and whip up on high speed until lighter in color (around 3 minutes).
Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, and shredded coconut and mix for 2 more minutes. 

Incorporate the flour and mix until just incorporated. Don’t overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and take it to the oven. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown and cooked. 

Hawaiian Banana Bread Recipe by top Hawaii Blog Hawaii Travel with Kids

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before slicing.

Hawaiian Banana Bread FAQs

Can you eat banana bread right out of the oven?

Pretty much! You’ll want to get your banana bread out of the pan and onto a cooling rack fairly quickly. Otherwise, your banana bread can get a bit soggy. We usually give it a few minutes before slicing it up. It tastes SO good warm!

Should you refrigerate banana bread?

Not unless you live in a warm climate, like Hawaii, where food tends to get moldy quicker. Otherwise, just be sure to store it in an airtight container, and you can leave it out on your counter.

Does banana bread taste better the next day?

Absolutely! It can be hard not to crack into it, but if you are patient, you’ll enjoy a more powerful flavor and texture. We usually make a double batch just to ensure we’ll have enough for day-old banana bread!

Looking for more Hawaiian Baking Recipes? Find out how to make Mango Muffins, Coconut Malasadas, and Pineapple Coconut Cake.

Yield: 8 Slices

Hawaiian Banana Bread Recipe

Hawaiian Banana Bread Recipe

Are you searching for the perfect banana bread recipe that will remind you of what you can find on the Road to Hana in Maui? Try this Hawaiian Banana Bread recipe today!

Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 58 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 Bananas, ripe and sliced
  • 4 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 4 Tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ Cup oil
  • ¾  Cup brown sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 Tbsp shredded coconut
  • 2 Cups flour
  • 2 Tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 Tsp cinnamon
  • ½ Tsp nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. 
  2. In a saucepan over medium heat melt the coconut oil. Add the sliced bananas and the brown sugar and cook for around 3 minutes per side without stirring.
  3. Remove from the pan and transfer to a bowl to mash. Mash with a fork and add the oil, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
  4. Add the eggs and whip up on high speed until lighter in color (around 3 minutes).
  5. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and shredded coconut and mix for 2 more minutes. 
  6. Incorporate the flour and mix until just incorporated. Don’t overmix.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and take to the oven. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown and cooked. 
  8. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before slicing. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 470Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 171mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 3gSugar: 30gProtein: 6g

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