Pineapple Banana Bread

 Instead of just making banana bread why not make banana, pineapple and coconut bread. This is a quick bread you can make with canned pineapple, some shredded coconut and some rotten looking over-ripe bananas. It is moist and delicious because of the fruit and extra virgin olive oil. You can feel good about giving your family a treat that has many good ingredients contained in it. It can be topped with cream cheese icing, a simple glaze like I have made or nothing at all!

You will need:

• 3 mashed ripe bananas = 1 cup
• 1/3 cup mild fruity olive oil - I used Amelia Extra Virgin Olive Oil- from Umbria
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp real vanilla
• 3/4 cup crushed pineapple - I used canned and drained about 2 tbsp liquid for the glaze
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Glaze 

• 2-3 tbsp pineapple juice 
• 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup icing sugar -I just keep adding icing sugar until I get a nice thick glaze

Step 1: this is an easy recipe. The wet ingredients are mixed in a blender and then poured into the dry. Start with the bananas added to the blender to puree. 

Step 2: add the olive oil, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and pineapple. If you are using canned pineapple you can pour off 2 tbsp of the liquid to make the glaze later. Blend until smooth (30 seconds)

Step 3: butter and flour a loaf pan.

Step 4: in a large bowl add all dry ingredients (except coconut) and combine with a whisk. 

Step 5: pour in the wet ingredients and gently stir with the whisk until just incorporated. Don't beat the batter or stir too hard or too long or you will have a tough, dense cake.

Step 6: gently mix/stir in the coconut until just incorporated.

Step 7: pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. 

once baked allow to cool 15 minutes in the pan before removing to a cooling rack.

once completely cooled pour over the glaze you made by just adding icing sugar to the reserved pineapple juice until it is as thick as you like.

It is moist and dense and delicious.