Tender, Moist, Tropical Coconut Pineapple Bread Recipe
With the weather warming up, it’s the perfect time to enjoy light- and fruity treats. This fresh pineapple bread sits perfectly among my summer dessert rotation of kiwi avocado cheesecake, mango pie, and lemon cheesecake bars (just to name a few). It’s light, tropical, sweet, and yet healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast! A banana-free pineapple-coconut bread is exactly what we all need after a year of banana bread obsession (including marbled chocolate, chocolate chip, and blueberry versions). Plus, this vegan cake recipe is surprisingly healthy– not that you’d be able to tell. Instead of eggs, refined sugars, butter, and/or oil, this version uses gluten-free rice and oat flours, unrefined sugars, and is oil-free. You can even make the icing with a sugar alternative! Yet, the result is still wonderfully moist and sweet. This pineapple bread is also quick and easy to prepare (even easier than my pineapple upside-down cake)! The smell coming from the oven while the bread bakes is practically sinful too – it’s sweet, tropical, and transports me to the beachside, sipping on a Piña colada! Once out of the oven, top the fresh pineapple cake with a zesty icing drizzle and enjoy for breakfast, brunch, a snack, or dessert. You can even take it to potlucks and garden parties.
The Ingredients
The Dry Ingredients:
Flour: I used a combination of rice flour and oat flour (rolled oats manually ground into flour in a spice grinder/blender). Starch: I prefer to use cornstarch, though potato starch will also work. Coconut: Use unsweetened shredded coconut for this pineapple coconut bread. Alternatively, you could use ground blanched almonds (almond meal) or another ground nut/seed meal instead. Note, sunflower seeds can react with leavening agents and turn bakes green. Flaxseed: You’ll need ground flax seeds or ground chia seeds for this eggless pineapple cake. Leavening agents: This recipe uses baking powder and baking soda to provide lift and a fluffier texture.
The Wet Ingredients:
Pineapple: This recipe relies on pineapple purée rather than chunky slices. Fresh, ripe pineapple is best over frozen (and thawed). Though canned (drained) may also work, I haven’t tried, so I can’t guarantee results. Coconut milk: You need to use canned coconut milk. Full fat is best. Maple syrup: Or another liquid sweetener like agave, date syrup, or rice syrup. Vanilla extract: Use natural for best flavor, but any will work.
Icing Ingredients:
Powdered sugar: You can use regular powdered sugar. For a sugar-free option, you could use powdered Erythritol, as I did. Coconut milk: Just enough to create the icing consistency. Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor. Alternatively, you could use lime juice or orange juice.
Optional Recipe add-ins
Chopped nuts: For more texture, add around 1/3 cup roughly chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, macadamia) to the cake batter. Dried fruit: ¼ cup-1/3 cup cranberries and raisins would both pair well with the flavors. Spices: Boost the flavor of this fresh pineapple bread with extra spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, or allspice (around ¼ tsp). Coconut extract: Around a teaspoon of natural coconut extract will enhance the coconut flavor. Rum: For more of a Piña colada flavor, add a little rum (around 2-3 tbsp should be fine without impacting the batter too much). Alternatively, use rum extract. Caramel sauce: Substitute the zesty icing for a more decadent drizzle of homemade vegan caramel.
Please read the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, measurements, complete method, and nutritional information.
How to Make Fresh Pineapple Bread
First, peel, chop and blend ½ of a small/medium pineapple in a blender until it’s a smooth purée. Then set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line a 9-inch (23 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper. Feel free to use a little cooking spray, too, if you tend to have issues with sticking. Next, process all the dry ingredients in a food processor (or blender). Add the wet ingredients and then pulse a few times until just combined (don’t over mix). Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake in the oven for around 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
All ovens work slightly differently, so the time can vary. If you find the pineapple cake is darkening a little too much on top, then top with a layer of foil for the remaining baking time.
Allow the vegan pound cake to cool. Then combine the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk. Finally, drizzle the icing over the bread- enjoy!
How to Store
Store: Store the pineapple quick bread at room temperature, covered for up to two days, or in an airtight container in the fridge for between 5-7 days. Freeze: If you plan to freeze the pineapple loaf cake, it’s best to leave it un-iced. Ensure the bread is cooled, then freeze the loaf whole or pre-slice (place parchment paper between each slice to avoid sticking). Wrap the bread in a foil/plastic wrap layer and then place in a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. Leave it out at room temperature to thaw, or defrost slices in a toaster oven or microwave using defrost settings. Then, optionally, add the glaze before enjoying.
How to Serve
You can enjoy this pineapple coconut bread in several ways and for several meals (or as a snack):
Eat as-is warm, room temperature, or chilled. Slather with a little dairy-free butter Top with some whipped coconut cream or yogurt and fruit For a dessert, serve (warm or chilled) with a scoop of ice cream (vanilla or coconut).
Make smaller loaves: Instead of one large pineapple loaf, divide the batter between two half-loaf pans and reduce the baking time by 5-10 minutes. For pineapple muffins: This works great and takes about 25-28 minutes (depending on the size of the muffin tin). I recommend doing the toothpick test for the first time after 20 minutes of baking if you have a mini muffin pan. If using tinned crushed pineapple: allow it to sit in a colander, draining, so there isn’t too much liquid. You can use leftover pineapple juice to make the icing and within smoothies. For chunkier pineapple bread: Save a small amount (around 1/3 cup) of the pineapple and finely chop (but don’t purée) to pulse into the batter in the last few seconds. That way, you’ll have some bites with larger, juicy bites of fruit without impacting the texture of the quick bread too much. Optionally toast the coconut: To add more crunch, you can lightly toast the coconut on a baking tray for between 6-9 minutes at 350F/180C until lightly browned. Keep an eye, as it can burn quickly.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
Vegan carrot cake Gluten-free chocolate zucchini cake Vegan coffee cake Peanut butter chocolate cake Vegan cranberry bread Vegan fruit cake Lemon sheet cake Vegan coconut cake Lemon cheesecake tart Raw vegan blueberry cheesecake
Looking for more fruity summer vegan dessert ideas? You might also like this mango coconut sticky rice. If you try this vegan pineapple bread recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing them.
