Coconut Bread

Calling all coconut lovers! This easy coconut bread recipe is bursting with coconut flavor! This bread is made with coconut milk, sweetened coconut flakes, and topped with a coconut glaze and toasted, shredded coconut. It’s coconut in every bite! This quick bread is made without a mixer and ready to be baked in 15 minutes or less!

 

I am such a sucker for anything with coconut in it. Like my coconut cake with coconut frosting. But sometimes I want all that coconut flavor but without the hassle of making an entire cake. Enter this coconut loaf.

This moist coconut bread has coconut extract, sweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes, and coconut milk in the batter. This quick bread is bursting with coconut!

You see, it’s like a mini vacation in a loaf. And it’s all thanks to one magical ingredient: coconut milk. It’s like I’ve been transported to a tropical paradise right in my kitchen, like my mango bread but made with ALL coconut this time!

Mixing that creamy coconut milk into the batter adds tenderness and so much flavor. And when this bread goes in the oven the whole house fills up with the mouthwatering scent of coconuts. And when it comes out of the oven a moist coconut bread loaf awaits you.

Whether I’m sharing it with friends or savoring it all on my own, this coconut bread recipe brings that vacation vibe to my table every time.

See Also:

• Oil vs butter in your quick breads..what’s better? Find out the difference and what I prefer!
• Confused on what the difference is between quick breads and coffeecakes – give this post a read!
• Want to know more about quick breads? Then read this article “What’s quick bread“? and learn more!

Why You Will Love This Coconut Bread

• Comes together in minutes – I love a good quick bread because as the name suggests, it’s quick to mix up!
• No mixer needed – All you need is a whisk and a spatula to make this coconut bread!
• Great to freeze – Quick breads are a wonderful bread to freeze and enjoy later.

Ingredients Needed

For the full recipe and amounts, scroll to the bottom for the recipe card.

Coconut Bread:

• All-purpose flour– Be sure to measure the flour correctly so your bread doesn’t end up dry and crumbly.
• Granulated sugar– I don’t recommend reducing the amount of sugar in your quick breads as it can affect how tender it comes out.
• Salt– Fine sea salt is best but kosher or table salt will also work.
• Baking powder– Make sure the baking powder is fresh so your bread rises properly.
• Canned coconut milk– Make sure to use canned coconut milk, and not refrigerated coconut milk you would drink.
• Eggs– Help to bind the ingredients together and give the bread structure.
• Vegetable oil– Or other neutral tasting oil like canola oil. You can substitute melted coconut oil or melted unsalted butter for vegetable oil to make coconut bread to enhance the coconut flavor.
• Coconut extract
• Shredded coconut or coconut flakes – You can also use unsweetened coconut flakes, but your bread may not be as sweet. I left the coconut untoasted, but you can toast the coconut first if you want.

Glaze Ingredients:

• Powdered sugar– If you don’t have any, make your own powdered sugar in your food processor with granulated sugar.
• Milk (or coconut milk)- For more coconut flavor I recommend using coconut milk, but regular milk will work as well for this glaze.
• Coconut extract
• Coconut– I toasted sweetened coconut flakes and then used as a garnish. This is optional. Check out my full tutorial on how to toast coconut!

How to Make This Coconut Bread

Preheat and Prepare the Pan 

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C). Prepare a 9×5” loaf pan by either spraying it with nonstick cooking spray or greasing it with butter and flour. Set the prepared pan aside.

Combine Dry Ingredients 

In a large bowl or a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together.

Combine Wet Ingredients 

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, eggs, oil, and coconut extract to create your wet ingredient mixture.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients 

Now, it’s time to bring the wet and dry ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently mix them together with a spatula. Stop mixing as soon as they are just combined.

Then, stir in the shredded coconut.

Bake 

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan you set aside earlier. Bake it in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the coconut bread comes out clean.

Once baked, remove it from the oven and let the coconut bread cool completely in the pan, which should be placed on a wire cooling rack.

Toast Coconut 

To give your coconut bread a delightful toasted coconut topping, spread coconut evenly on a baking sheet.

Toast it in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, stirring halfway through, until it becomes lightly golden brown. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.

Make the Glaze 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients(powdered sugar, milk, coconut extract) until you achieve the desired consistency. Adjust as needed.

Once you’ve got the perfect glaze, drizzle it over the cooled coconut bread. Finally, sprinkle on the toasted shredded coconut for a tasty and visually appealing finish.

Recipe Tips

• Use room temperature ingredients. This will help to ensure that the coconut bread is moist and fluffy.
• Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, which will make the coconut bread tough.
• Toast the coconut before adding it to the batter. This will give it a richer flavor and a slightly crunchy texture.
• For a thicker glaze, add less milk. For a thinner glaze, add more milk.
• More Flavor. If you want a more intense coconut flavor, you can use coconut flour in place of some of the all-purpose flour.
• Cool Completely. Allow the coconut bread to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing it. This helps prevent it from breaking apart when you take it out of the pan.
• Measuring Flour. When measuring flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge. Avoid scooping flour directly from the container, as this can lead to inaccurate measurements.
• Check for Doneness. To test if the coconut bread is done baking, insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, the coconut bread is ready. If it has batter on it, continue baking for a few more minutes.

Recipe Variations

• Add-Ins. You can also add other ingredients to the coconut bread recipe, such as chopped nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips.
• Non-Dairy Milk. Try using a different type of milk in the batter, such as almond milk or soy milk.
• More Sugar. For a sweeter bread, add more sugar to the batter.
• Make Muffins. Instead of baking the coconut bread in a loaf pan, you can bake it in muffin tins for individual servings.
• Gluten-Free Version. Use a gluten-free flour blend in place of regular flour for a gluten-free coconut bread recipe suitable for those with dietary restrictions.

Recipe FAQs

More Recipes To Try

If you love coconut as much as I do then be sure to try my coconut macaroons recipe. These gluten free cookies are foolproof and are dipped in chocolate for a special treat.

And if you’re craving more bread then try my banana bread recipe made with sour cream. It’s wonderfully easy, moist and great to freeze.