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Healthy Hummingbird Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

overhead view of sliced hummingbird banana bread with a gold knife next to it.
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★★★

3 from 1 reviews

Healthy hummingbird banana bread with pineapple, coconut and a delicious cream cheese frosting is just like the classic southern hummingbird cake but in a healthy, whole-grain banana bread. It's perfect for your Easter brunch or breakfast table! (dairy-free option)

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 med bananas, very ripe
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup crushed pineapple, undrained
  • 1/2 cup coconut
  • 1/2 cup pecans

For the frosting:

  • 1 tbsp butter, softened
  • 3 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar

For topping:

  • Additional coconut and pecans, toasted

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a metal 9x5 inch loaf pan or line with parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, mash bananas well. Add sugar, coconut oil, eggs, vanilla and pineapple. Whisk until well combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. 
  4. Pour dry mixture into wet ingredients. Gently stir until combined, careful not to over mix.
  5. Gently fold in pecans and coconut.
  6. Spread into prepared loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. If your oven tends to run cool, it make take even longer.
  7. Remove from oven and cool at least 10 minutes before removing loaf from the pan. Place on a cooling rack until completely cooled before frosting.
  8. To make the frosting, whisk butter, cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth.
  9. Spread onto cooled bread and sprinkle with toasted coconut and pecans.

Notes

  • To toast coconut and pecans for the topping, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet, and toast in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes, watching carefully so they don't burn.
  • I find a metal loaf pan is best for baking any kind of banana bread, but especially a super moist one like this, as it will bake more evenly than in a glass or ceramic pan.
  • If you find that the top is browning too quickly before the center is done, place a loosely tented piece of foil over the top while it finishes baking.
  • Leave the pineapple undrained. You want all the moisture from the juice!
  • Make sure the butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature before making the frosting so that it mixes well and is lump-free! To soften butter or cream cheese quickly, you can microwave at half power (or on defrost mode) for about 10 seconds.
  • Make sure you let the bread cool completely before frosting it, or else the frosting will melt and slide off!

Keywords: pineapple coconut banana bread, hummingbird banana bread with cream cheese frosting, hummingbird cake banana bread

Find it online: https://livelytable.com/healthy-hummingbird-banana-bread/