Hummingbird Bread

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This moist and fluffy Hummingbird Bread is loaded with pineapple and ripe banana! Laced with warm spices and studded with toasted pecans, you’ll love everything about this luscious breakfast loaf.

Tender Pineapple Banana Bread With Pecans

Every banana bread lover is about to discover a new obsession – homemade hummingbird bread! This easy recipe takes your classic Banana Bread and turns it into a pineapple pecan sensation. If you’re looking for a way to add even more tropical goodness to your favorite morning treat, this wholesome breakfast bread is calling your name.

It’s spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg to give it the same great depth of flavor that you get from Hummingbird Cake. In other words, it’s like eating cake for breakfast – only a bit healthier! With 20 minutes of prep time total, you can whip up a loaf on Sunday and help yourself to a slice whenever a craving hits throughout the week.

What You’ll Need

Let’s go over the ingredients you’ll need to make this hummingbird bread happen. Scroll down to the recipe card for the amounts.

• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda: To supplement the baking powder.
• Salt
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Nutmeg
• Unsalted Butter: Melted and slightly cooled.
• Vegetable Oil: Or canola oil.
• Light Brown Sugar: Pack this into your measuring cup to ensure accuracy.
• Large Eggs
• Mashed Bananas: Go ahead and let your bananas get very ripe, but not so ripe that they are falling apart.
• Crushed Pineapple: Don’t drain the juice!
• Vanilla Extract
• Chopped Pecans: I like to toast these to bring out their flavor and enhance their crunch.

How to Make Hummingbird Bread

The process of preparing this pineapple banana bread is incredibly simple, which makes it a great recipe to get young kids involved with. The hardest part is waiting for the loaf to cool so you can slice it!

1. Prep for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set the mixture aside.
3. Combine Butter, Oil & Brown Sugar: Combine the melted butter, oil and brown sugar in a large mixer bowl.
4. Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined before adding the next.
5. Mix in Mashed Bananas: Add the mashed bananas and mix until combined.
6. Add Pineapple & Vanilla: Add the crushed pineapple (with the juice) and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
7. Add Dry Ingredient Mixture: Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix the batter.
8. Fold in Pecans: Gently fold in the chopped and toasted pecans.
9. Bake: Add the batter to the prepared pan and bake the bread for 60-70 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf – it should come out clean. If the loaf starts to brown too much on top, tent it with aluminum foil.
10. Let Cool: Remove your hummingbird bread from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan.
11. Enjoy! Slice and serve the cooled loaf.

Tips for Success

With these handy tips up your sleeve, you’ll bake up some top-notch pineapple bread.

• Measure the Flour Carefully: Unlike the brown sugar, the flour should not be packed into your measuring cup. Make sure you fluff it up and spoon it in little by little so you don’t accidentally use too much. Weigh it out with a food scale for guaranteed precision.
• Use Ripe Bananas: Bananas with brown spots on the peels are perfect for baked goods. Not only will they be easier to mash, but they’ll also taste sweeter and more flavorful.
• Don’t Over-Mix the Batter: Over-mixing the batter will make your bread come out tough rather than tender. Be sure to fold in the pecans very gently to keep this from happening.
• Prevent Over-Browning: If you notice that the top of your bread is browning too quickly, cover the loaf with a tented piece of aluminum foil while it’s baking. This will slow the browning process so you don’t have to choose between an overcooked crust and an undercooked interior.

Mix-In Ideas

Looking to load up this bread with some extra fixings? Have at it!

• Shredded Coconut
• Poppy Seeds
• Raisins
• Chopped Walnuts
• Lemon or Lime Zest
• Chocolate Chips
• Shredded Carrots or Zucchini

Storage Instructions

Fully cooled pineapple banana bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. If you keep it in the fridge, it’ll last for up to a week. Bring it to room temperature before you serve it if you’d like.

Can I Freeze This?

Easily! Just wrap the cooled loaf (or individual slices) in a tight layer of plastic wrap and a layer of heavy-duty foil. Then, either seal it in a freezer bag with all the air squeezed out or secure it in a freezer-safe container, freezing it for up to 3 months. Thaw out frozen hummingbird bread in the fridge or on the counter before you enjoy it.

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More Healthy Breakfast Bread Recipes

• Easy Apple Bread
• Lemon Loaf Cake
• The Best Homemade Pumpkin Bread