Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures that your banana bread bakes evenly and rises beautifully.
Grease your 9x5 inch loaf pan with a bit of vegetable oil or line it with parchment paper for easy removal later.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, sugar, and ground cinnamon. Stir until well mixed.
In another bowl, beat the eggs and then add the vegetable oil, mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay!
Fold in the flaked coconut and, if using, the coconut extract. This step adds that signature tropical flavor.
Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing out the top with a spatula. Sprinkle additional flaked coconut on top for a lovely crust.
Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, carefully transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
