Behold this throwback gem to an era when pineapple dominated the culinary scene of the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. It’s basically a baked bread pudding with pineapple, and it’s glorious, especially when hot. Eat it fresh from the oven or reheat leftovers in the microwave for breakfast the morning after. Place it on the potluck table or next to barbecue dishes; it will look at home at either.

This is an heirloom recipe from my mom’s recipe index card, attributed to no one. I don’t remember her ever making it, but it’s extremely easy to throw together when you have a busy day in the kitchen or not a lot of time. Budget an hour total to mix the ingredients and bake.

A note on milk: The original recipe simply calls for milk. I had an open can of coconut milk (quite a bit thicker than the stuff mixed in with almond and oat milks) and needed to put it to use, and I think it added a lovely pina colada-esque dimension to the flavor profile here. You could also substitute cream if you want a richer flavor but you also have a grudge against coconut.

A note on bread: For the bread, you can go with the cheap white stuff like I did. If you’re feeling more adventurous, try experimenting with something fancier like sourdough or wheat. I’d recommend staying with a yeasted bread as a more cake-like bread would get too soggy. And there would be a strong temptation to try Hawaiian bread with this because of the pineapple, but this is sweet enough without adding more sugar from the bread. If you want to try Hawaiian bread, maybe scale back the white sugar.

2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk (or canned coconut milk or cream)
1 qt. (10 slices) bread cubes
1/2 c. brown sugar

Mix the white sugar and butter. Add the eggs and mix well. Stir in the pineapple, then milk. Fold in the bread cubes. 

Pour into a greased 9 x 13″ pan and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.