This is one of those wonderful baked goods that straddles the line between breakfast and dessert. Use this coconut bread recipe to make a treat that is made in just one bowl and mixed up in less than 10 minutes! It's one of those simple recipes you'll reach for time and time again.
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What makes this coconut bread recipe so special?
This recipe is for my coconut lovers and coconut averse alike! The light taste of coconut is what makes this coconut loaf a star. It’s not an overwhelming sweet bread and has the subtle hint of coconut that you want to have in your coconut desserts. Too much coconut and it's overwhelming, to little and you miss it.
But the best part of this recipe is that it's made in one bowl with just a whisk and wooden spoon. And the ingredients are likely already in your pantry. It's one of those quick bread recipes that makes a great gift for a hostess any time of year and is a great addition to your holiday baking plans.
Ingredients
A few notes on the ingredients:
- Coconut Flakes: Sweetened flaked coconut is the way to go. You can easily find it at any major grocery store. You don't want shredded coconut here because the shreds tend to be too big to mix well in the batter
- Milk: Dairy milk or any plant based milk work well here. If I'm not using regular milk, I tend to reach for the almond milk for this recipe.
- Coconut milk: You can use any variety you like, but be sure to shake the can well before measuring so that the solids and liquids combine well.
How to make coconut bread
To make things even simpler, here are step-by-step photos to help you every step of the way.
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Now it's simple to mix it up. Combine flour with the rest of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk them all together.
Then add all the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, except the melted butter. Mix them up until just combined.
The last step is to carefully fold the melted butter in the batter, gently until it's just incorporated.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, put into the oven and bake for about an hour.
For all measurements and a more detailed guide, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page. Check this video out for another way to see step by step directions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unliked in banana bread, pumpkin bread or zucchini bread, where I would normally add in chocolate chips, nuts, or even dried fruits, this is not one of those recipes. The incredible flavor of coconut is the star in this delicious treat and I would stay away from add-ins.
Yes, you can easily make this recipe dairy free. You would swap the milk coconut milk and swap the butter with any dairy free baking stick. These are simple swaps that will still give you delicious results.
Coconut bread is a quick bread made in a loaf pan with the sweetened flaked coconut stirred into the batter. On the other hand, pan de coco is a Filipino treat. It's a soft bread roll, made from balls of dough stuffed with sweetened coconut meat.
How to store leftovers
This coconut bread makes great leftovers. You can either slice and freeze the bread or store the uncut leftovers on your counter in an airtight container. Here's how:
- Store in slices: Slice the remaining coconut bread into ½" -¾" thick slices and wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Place all the slices into a zip top bag and freeze to enjoy as you want. When you are ready to eat, simple take out one slice of this delicious bread and toast it until warmed through. Enjoy with your morning coffee or as a treat before bed.
- Storing the remaining loaf: Wrap the coconut bread in plastic wrap, being sure the that cut end is completely covered so it doesn't dry out. Put in an airtight container and store on the counter up to 4 days.
What to serve with coconut bread
For breakfast, you could slice, toast and schmear it with almond butter or lemon curd and serve with a side of fresh fruit.
On the brunch table it would go well with french toast, bagel sandwiches or quiche. Round out the menu with a lox or smoked fish tray and serve an array of hot and iced teas.
For dessert, I would serve with a scoop of ice cream. Toasted almond gelato, a nice salted caramel ice cream or even pineapple sorbet all would work well with the coconut flavor.
How to melt butter for baking
When melting butter for this recipe, do it in 10 second increments. Stop melting when there is still some solid bits of butter left in the bowl. Just swirl the melted butter around. The heat of the melted butter will help melt the last bit that is solid.
This means you don’t have to wait for super hot butter to cool down before you fold it in the batter and you are less likely to have butter splatter in your microwave.
Looking for other recipes that straddle the line between breakfast and dessert? Check these out:
When you try this recipe and love it 😍 let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
📖 Recipe
Simple, One Bowl, Coconut Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons butter (melted and cooled a bit)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9x5 loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Then add the sugar and flaked coconut to the dry ingredients.
- In your liquid measuring up combine the eggs and the milk by stirring with a fork. Pour the milk and egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Melt the butter in the liquid measuring cup and let cool about 1 minute. Pour the butter over the batter and gently fold in until the butter is just combined.
- Put the coconut bread in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. You'll know its done when the top is lightly brown and when you press gently on the top there is no give.
- Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then take out of the pan and let cool at least 30 minutes on a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
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Sue Urban
This bread is fantastic, moist and light. I made my glaze with pineapple juice and powdered sugar. Will make again for certain!
Andrea
Delicious and light and sweet. I love the subtle hint of cinnamon and pop of saltiness. I used coconut milk (never used it before in my baking) and it was quite yummy. Another win for simple gray T-shirt.
Matt - Total Feasts
I never used to like coconut, but ever since I visited the Caribbean (before kids) I find myself like it in moderation. I think it brings me back to the lovely beaches. Can’t wait to give this cake a try!
simplegraytshirt
This will likely be just the right amount of coconut for you then. It's subtle and delicious. Enjoy!