Coconut Bakes

Relaxing with a hot cup of herb tea is my idea of winding down from a long, stressful day at work. Complete that image by adding a slice of freshly baked Coconut Bread, or a soft, chewy Coconut Raisin Drop, each made with freshly grated coconut, plump raisins, and whole wheat flour. The smell alone of something baking with coconut is heavenly; the taste is even more amazing.



Coconut Bread, or Sweet Bread as it is referred to here, is almost a staple in Barbados. Our version is less sweet and more "nutty", but just as satisfying. Most Sweet Breads are sprinkled with granulated sugar before being baked to produce a bread with a crunchy topping. We leave that step out to reduce the amount of sugar being consumed. In our view, adding a generous amount of raisins to the bread provides enough natural fructose (fruit sugar) which complements the nutty coconut flavour. This tea bread is moist and flavourful and oh so Caribbean.


The Coconut Raisin Drops tend to go first when offered at my dessert table. It's really very hard to just consume one of these absolutely delightful mini-cakes. That is why I usually have to make a double batch whenever I have visitors stop by. We also make a White Chocolate Cranberry variety which is also terrific. Sampling one of each is definitely the way to go!