There is this lady at work who keeps preaching that “bathing suit season is right around the corner” (seriously). She will drop this bomb on anyone and everyone, from the beer delivery guy to the Laotian dishwashers. If you live by this doomsday mantra, this bread miiiight not be the best option for your beach bod. But if you’re like me, and when it’s pouring rain you like a little slice of homemade carb deliciousness, coconut bread will hit the spot. Or you could make it as a special gift for the bathing-suit-season-preacher in your office.
Ok, so it’s not “low in calories” and I “added” “chocolate” for “kicks” and it might as well be called “cake” because of all the “sugar”. But it’s delicious and that’s all that matters. Just don’t go eating 3 slices when you get home from bars on Saturday night, waking up Sunday morning to find a crumb covered plate on your nightstand (eesh).
So, it’s really simple. I got this recipe from my old consignment shop find, the Gourmet cookbook from 2004. I added more salt and sugar (and chocolate chips), and opted to use all-purpose flour + baking powder instead of cake flour.
Take 3 cups of the unsweetened coconut flakes (leaving the 4th cup aside) and toast them on a baking sheet. I did it right in the pre-heating 350⁰ oven and it worked just fine. Stir frequently and take them out when they’re golden brown (this takes maybe 10-15 minutes). Be careful because the thin flakes will burn quickly! Allow them to cool completely.
In a large bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder, and salt and stir in the final cup of untoasted coconut flakes. Set this aside.
In your standing mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat the butter until it is a paler color. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. And the eggs, one at a time, beating well to combine.
When the toasted flakes are cooled, grind them in a food processor until they resemble a rough corn meal. Add this to your flour mixture and stir to combine. Add the water to the flour mixture, stir it in, and then add the egg and butter mixture. When it comes together, fold in the chocolate chips (optional) but be careful not to over mix at this stage.
Pour the batter into a buttered-and-lightly-floured bread loaf pan and pop it into the 350⁰ oven for one hour (you might need to keep it in for an extra ten minutes, depending on your oven). Take it out when an inserted knife/toothpick/fork comes out clean.
You can slice right away, but your slices might be messy/crumbly because the bread is still warm. Wait until it cools to get nice, neat slices.
Recipe:
- 4 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 cups flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup of salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Makes one loaf