Lime + Coconut = A Match Made in Bread Heaven

I don’t know about you, but there are certain flavors combinations that I can’t turn down. I will try a recipe, no questions asked, if it features two of my favorite flavors. For example, chocolate & raspberry, cranberry & orange, lemon & blueberry… I could go on and on. But one of my favorite flavor combos is coconut & lime. The tropical notes from the coconut and summery hit of lime zest play so well together. Lime Coconut Bread is a new recipe on our site, and just happens to be one of my favorite bread recipes that is on landolakes.com. Sure, I may be a bit biased because I developed the recipe, but I think you’ll love it just as much as I do.

To get started, heat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a loaf pan.

Flour the pan by placing a small amount of flour in it, and gently tapping it so it coats the bottom and sides.

Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set it aside.

For the next step, you’ll need buttermilk. I used store bought, but if you don’t have that handy, it’s a snap to make your own. Just combine 1 ½ teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice, and enough milk to equal ½ cup, and let it stand for 5 minutes to thicken.

You’ll also need cream of coconut. When I first saw this ingredient in a recipe, I wasn’t quite sure what it was or where to buy it. It is usually located near the drink mixes in the grocery store, and comes in a squeeze bottle like this. It is the main ingredient in pina coladas (a great application for your leftover cream of coconut!).

Zest a lime (about 2 teaspoons) and squeeze 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice.

Now, combine the buttermilk, cream of coconut, melted margarine, egg…

…and lime juice and zest in a medium bowl.

Stir to combine.

Now add in the dry ingredients.

Fold in the flour mixture, but only until it is moistened. One of the best tips I’ve ever learned when it comes to bread like this is, don’t over-mix! If you do, you’ll get a tough, rubbery bread. And that’s just no fun.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean like this.

Let the bread cool completely.

While the bread is cooling, mix the powdered sugar and lime juice in a bowl to make a glaze.

Drizzle the glaze over the top of the bread. Try putting the glaze in a plastic food bag. Snip the corner of the bag off- it makes it super easy to drizzle!

Let the glaze set, and then cut into slices, and enjoy!

This recipe will be great for summer brunches, or for bringing to BBQ’s, or just to make for no reason in particular. No matter what you make it for, it will be a hit! Give Lime Coconut Bread a try for yourself, and make sure to let me know how it turns out for you.

Check back in a few days when Emily will share a quick dinner recipe idea.

Mallory is a Product Specialist in the Test Kitchens at Land O'Lakes and writes for our Recipe Buzz® Blog.