How To Make Bahamian Coconut Bread

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After working with gluten-free flour for nearly a year, there is one thing that I have learned. Sometimes recipes turn out horribly, and other times they turn out amazing. This coconut bread turned out better than I could have ever expected. 

This coconut sweet bread is baked to perfection and loaded with coconut flavor. It has a cake-like structure; however, it is a quick bread like banana bread. You can eat this coconut sweet bread for brunch or breakfast with your coffee or after-dinner snack.  

What Makes This Coconut Bread Bahamian 

Coconut plays a significant role in Bahamian cuisine. We use it to make coconut tart, coconut duff, and coconut Jimmy. In addition to this, my grandmother would use shredded coconut to make coconut chocolate bars and red and white coconut bars. 

However, what makes this bread Bahamian is the sugar. Bahamians love to add sugar bread, even if it is white sandwich bread.

Technically it isn’t real sugar, but you get the point. If the bread isn’t sweet, it just doesn’t taste right.

When I came up with this recipe, it was a savory keto coconut flour bread. The coconut bread recipe only called for 2 teaspoons of sweetener. However, I was not satisfied with the flavor when I tasted the recipe. So I figured why not add 1/2 cup of sugar-free sweetener and shredded coconut and turn this regular old recipe into Bahamian coconut bread. 

Health Benefits Of Coconut 

Coconut food products have exploded because of their health benefits. For example, coconut oil contains hypocholesterolemic, anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. Coconut oil also has skin moisturizing properties. Therefore it is a popular ingredient in skincare products. 

Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 killer of people across the globe. Coconut oil contains high concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Coconut flour can boost digestion, manage blood sugar levels, and protect against diabetes. Coconut flour may also play a role in preventing cancer and stimulating weight loss.

Tips For Making Bahamian Coconut Sweet Bread

Any baking recipe that calls for coconut flour needs a lot of eggs. This is especially true for coconut flour bread recipes. Coconut flour is highly fibrous.

Eggs are binders. They bind the coconut bread batter together. If there aren’t enough eggs in the recipe, the coconut bread will fall apart.

In addition to this, eggs also serve another purpose because of their fat and protein content. Egg yolks add moisture to the bread, keeping it nice and soft, while egg whites give it its springy texture. 

Sometimes gluten-free products do not rise as high as they should. This is why I added psyllium husk powder to the recipe.

Psyllium husk is a binder. It gives gluten-free bread dough elasticity, which allows you to knead it. In this case, psyllium husk gives the sweet bread structure, which helps it rise. If you don’t have psyllium husk powder, you can substitute whey protein powder or vinegar and baking soda to help the bread rise. 

Let the coconut bread batter sit for 5-10 minutes. As mentioned above, coconut flour is fibrous, which means it absorbs a lot of moisture. Therefore it needs to sit for a few minutes to absorb the liquid in the batter.

As you will see in the coconut bread video below, the batter was extremely loose. It thickened up after allowing the batter to sit for 5-10 minutes. 

I used Swerve sugar-free powdered sweetener to make this coconut bread. I mixed the powdered sugar-free sweetener with the dry ingredients to be on the safe side.

I did not know if the powdered sugar would clump up and create a lumpy batter. If you use a granular sugar-free sweetener such as stevia, you can mix it with the wet ingredients. 

How To Store Bahamian Coconut Bread 

Because this coconut bread does not have additives or preservatives found in store-bought bread, it has a short shelf life.

This coconut bread will last for 2-3 days when stored at room temperature. However, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to prevent the bread from drying out. If the coconut sweet bread is stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will last for a week. You can also store your coconut sweet bread in the freezer. It will last for up to a month when stored in the freezer. 

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