When mango season hits Hawaii, everyone’s making mango bread. The trees overflow with fruit, neighbors share bags of mangoes across the fence, and kitchens smell like this sweet, tropical quick bread baking in the oven.
Mango bread is peak Hawaiian “backyard harvest” cooking—using what’s abundant, what’s free, and what connects us to our neighbors and land. Every family has their recipe, passed down and tweaked over generations.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups diced fresh mango (about 2-3 mangoes)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat: Set oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan.
- Mix dry: Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
- Mix wet: In another bowl, beat eggs. Add oil and vanilla.
- Combine: Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined.
- Add mango: Fold in diced mango, and coconut and nuts if using. Don’t overmix.
- Bake: Pour into prepared pan. Bake 55-65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
Tips
- Ripe but firm mangoes – Too ripe and they’ll turn to mush. You want pieces that hold their shape.
- Don’t overmix – Overmixing makes quick breads tough
- Check early – Start checking at 50 minutes. Every oven is different.
- Toast the coconut – For extra flavor, lightly toast coconut before adding
Best Mango Varieties
In Hawaii, common mangoes include:
- Hayden – Sweet, fiberless, perfect for baking
- Pirie – Rich flavor, slightly tart
- Common – The backyard variety, more fibrous but still delicious
Variations
- Mini loaves: Makes great gifts. Adjust baking time to 35-40 minutes.
- Cream cheese swirl: Swirl sweetened cream cheese through batter before baking
- Glaze: Top cooled bread with lilikoi glaze
