Trinidad Coconut Sweet Bread recipe

A classic Caribbean sweet treat, this Trinidad coconut sweet bread is filled with grated coconut, raisins, mixed peel, and warm spices. Whether you’re enjoying it plain, with cheese, or alongside some mauby, this bread is always a hit, especially around Christmas time!

My mom’s favorite thing to make is sweet bread. Whenever she is in town I always make sure she mixes up a batch.

This is a popular Caribbean sweet treat. It is another food item that could probably be called “Caribbean sweet bread” instead of being pinned down to a specific country. The methods may just vary from one to the other.

This “bread” not only has coconut but also a mix of raisins, mixed peel, and spices

It’s a sweetened bread (not sweet like condensed milk sweet) but definitely can be considered a dessert as well as bread.

I love eating my sweet bread alone. But it is not weird to see someone use it to replace their regular bread like hard dough and make a tasty sandwich out of it.

I avidly remember as a child seeing my mom eating it with avocado slices. If I do use it as bread, cheese is my best option.

Coconut sweet bread is a very popular bread, especially around Christmas time. Along with black cake, or ponche de creme and pastelles.  

How to make coconut sweet bread

Ingredients for sweet bread

I always say this recipe uses staple pantry items, but not everyone stores mixed peel as I do. But for the most part, this uses some of the basics that you can find

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Sugar – brown sugar or granulated sugar can be used.
• Unsalted butter
• Raisins
• Maraschino cherries – you can also use dried red cherries.
• Mixed peel – sometimes also called tutti fruit or citrus peel.
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Coconut essence – mixed essence or vanilla essence can also be substituted. 
• Water
• Fresh coconut – or also referred to as “dry coconut”. It’s the mature coconut where the water has started to diminish. See the section on how to pick a coconut.

Can’t find dry coconut

No worries! You can sub in unsweetened shredded coconut (not the sweetened baking kind). Just note that the texture will be a little different, but the flavor still delivers.

Instructions

1. Prep the coconut: Crack open your dry coconut, remove it from the shell, and chop into small pieces. Blend it with a little water until you get a thick, grainy mixture. (Not too watery!)
2. Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and sugar.
3. Add to coconut: Pour the dry mixture into the coconut and stir to combine.
4. Flavor it up: Mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, chopped cherries, mixed peel, and your chosen essence.
5. Don’t overmix: Stir until just combined—no need to beat it like it owe you money.
6. Bake it up: Divide the mixture between two greased loaf pans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Glaze it (optional but highly recommended): A few minutes before it’s done baking, brush on your favorite glaze to give that top a beautiful shine and light crunch.
8. Cool: Remove from oven and place loaves on a wire rack to cool.

Tips and tricks

• Room Temp Matters: Bring your butter (and any chilled ingredients) to room temperature for better mixing.
• Mix Separately: Combine dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls before bringing them together.
• Choosing a Coconut: Shake to hear water inside. No slosh? No buy. Cracked shell or musty smell? Toss it.
• Blender vs. Food Processor:
  • Blender: Add water; results in a wetter mix.
  • Food Processor: Drier coconut, like the packaged kind. You’ll need to adjust water when mixing.
• Don’t Skip the Glaze: That glossy finish adds just the right touch of sweet and crunch.

Storage & reheating

• Counter: Wrap in foil or plastic and store at room temp for up to 5 days.
• Fridge: Store leftovers in a Ziploc bag for longer life.
• Freezer: Wrap tightly (plastic + foil + Ziploc) and freeze. Slice before freezing if you want easy grab-and-toast access.
• To Reheat: Bring to room temp or pop a slice in the toaster.

Serving

Fresh out of the oven is best—crusty outside, soft inside.

• Pair with mauby for the ultimate nostalgic snack.
• Add cheese for that sweet-savory bite.
• Try it with jams, jellies, peanut butter, or even salted ham.

This bread is great for breakfast, lunch, and as a snack.

And you won’t regret it!!

More bread recipes

• Butter bread
• Coconut bake

Trinidad Coconut Sweet Bread

A sweet bread made with grated, coconut, raisins, cherries, currants, and dried fruits, often flavored with spices like nutmeg, cinnamon

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 24

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Caribbean

Calories: 258

Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

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To Blend Coconut

• 1 dry coconut

To make bread

• 6 cups flour
• 6 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 2 cups grated coconut
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped cherries
• 3/4 cup mixed peel
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon coconut essence or mixed essence
• 2 1/2 cups water

For Glaze

• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Method

 

1. To Blend Coconut
2. Remove coconut meat from the shell.
3. Chip up meat into smaller pieces for blending.
4. Add chopped coconut to a food processor and grind fine. You can also grate coconut.
5. Empty mixture into a large bowl
6. Make Glaze
7. Mix sugar and water together till sugar dissolves
8. Set aside
9. For Sweet Bread
10. Heat oven to 350 degrees
11. Mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.
12. Add the butter cubes to the flour mixture and rub in the butter till it has dissolved.
13. Add sugar and grated coconut to the mix and combine.
14. Add water in batches till you get a combined mixture. And making sure it doesn’t get lumpy.
15. Mix in your raisins, mixed peel, and coconut essence.
16. Mix till combined
17. Pour mixture into 2 greased loaf pans
18. Place in a preheated oven and bake until golden. (about 45 minutes)
19. Mix sugar and water till sugar dissolves
20. Brush baked bread with glaze

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcal

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