This Coconut Pineapple Bread is a moist, tender loaf topped with caramelised pineapple — think pineapple upside-down cake, only the pineapple sits on top. It makes a lovely afternoon treat or a sweet addition to dessert.
I had some buttermilk left after making a creamy chilli lime dressing, so I decided to bake. Instead of scones (we always argue over how to pronounce that word), I made a coconut loaf. Buttermilk helps tenderise the crumb and gives cakes a lovely lift. Here it’s combined with desiccated coconut for a light, fluffy texture.
I used virgin coconut oil for extra coconut flavour, but plain vegetable oil works just as well in the same quantity. Fresh pineapple makes a bright, juicy topping, though canned pineapple would also be fine. The loaf is finished with a brown sugar glaze — soft, glossy and perfect for drizzling.
More Pineapple Recipes
If you enjoy pineapple, try one of these recipes:
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Hawaiian Sticky Chicken with Pineapple
- Pineapple Dole Whip
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Pineapple Core Crisps
Coconut Pineapple Bread
15 mins
1 hr
1 hr 15 mins
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 large egg
- 125 g light brown sugar (plus 1 heaped tsp for sprinkling)
- 130 ml virgin coconut oil or vegetable oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 80 g desiccated coconut
- 180 ml buttermilk
- 150 g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 125 g pineapple, chopped into small slices
Brown Sugar Glaze:
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 2 tbsp milk (whole or semi-skimmed)
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3–6 tbsp sieved confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 2 lb loaf tin with baking parchment.
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In a large bowl, beat the egg and light brown sugar. Add the oil (if using melted coconut oil, ensure it is not hot or it will cook the egg) and stir. Mix in the vanilla, desiccated coconut and buttermilk.
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Sift in the plain flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir just until combined, then pour the batter into the prepared tin.
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Arrange the pineapple slices evenly across the top and sprinkle the extra teaspoon of brown sugar over the pineapple. Bake for 45–55 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
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To make the glaze, warm the butter and milk in a microwave-safe bowl until hot, then stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar, then add more a spoonful at a time until you reach a thick but pourable consistency. When the loaf is nearly cool, pour the glaze over. Serve immediately or allow the glaze to set before storing.
Notes
This cake will keep well for 4–5 days if wrapped in baking parchment and stored in a sealed container. If storing for more than a day, leave the glaze off until just before serving to avoid extra stickiness. Because the glaze contains milk, do not leave it unrefrigerated for more than a day.
Nutritional information is per serving and is approximate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation and should be used as a guide.
Serve warm with ice cream and a drizzle of the warm glaze for an extra indulgent treat.
Some links in the original post may have been affiliate links. Nutritional information is approximate and can vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.