{Disclaimer}: I use the word ‘Malibu’ loosely; the only rum in this bread is essence, and the only Malibu is on the jacket I’m wearing as I bake. 😉
“We’re all going on a summer holiday…” Ha! If only…! It’s the middle of winter here – cold, grey and miserable, but plans are afoot to get away when the weather is warmer. Conversations have been had, emails have been sent, and we’ve begun wondering how mad it would be to attempt an interstate holiday with a 10-month old.
In the meantime, the consolation prize is cake (isn’t it always?)… A summery, tropical holiday kind of cake! With the base as Bill Granger’s awesome Coconut Bread (my breakfast of choice), but with a bit of banana and rum thrown in for good measure, it’s one way of bringing that summer holiday just a little bit closer in my dreams…
This bread-like cake is what I love to make when we’ve had curry soup for dinner and there’s half a can of coconut milk left over. Once made, I usually slice it and freeze the slices ready for toasting. The aroma of toasted coconut bread is divine… and spread with salted butter… there’s nothing like it.
But this time, it was time to ramp things up. Like Deb at the smitten kitchen says, this recipe is just begging to be modified. So, with some inspiration from Joy the Baker, I’ve done just that. This version has added elements of banana and rum, and shredded coconut on top to make it pretty. It’s definitely worth sharing.
Malibu Coconut Bread
Adapted from Sydney Food by Bill Granger, via Spicy Icecream and the smitten kitchen
Makes 8-10 thick slices
Ingredients
2 eggs
300mL coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons rum essence
1 frozen banana, thawed, mashed (optional)
2 cups plain flour
½ cup plain wholemeal flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup shredded coconut
75g coconut oil, melted
Extra shredded coconut, for decoration.
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (375°F) and line a 21x10cm loaf pan with baking paper.
Lightly whisk eggs, coconut milk, vanilla extract, rum essence and banana (if using) together in a small bowl.
Sift flours, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl. Add sugar and coconut and stir to combine.
Make a well in the centre and gradually stir in the egg mixture until just combined. Add melted coconut oil and stir until the mixture is just smooth, being careful not to overmix.
Pour into prepared loaf pan, sprinkle with extra shredded coconut and bake for 1 hour, or until bread is cooked when tested with a skewer.
Leave in the pan to cool for 5 minutes, and remove to cool further on a wire rack. Serve in thick slices, lightly toasted.