phyllis’s toasted coconut bread
It has taken me three long tedious months to finally hunt down and make the most famous recipe of our tropical travels (a delicious city recipe coming soon too, I promise). Back in what feels like forever ago we were basking on the sandy shores of Maui sipping tropical drinks and sticking our toes into the bluest ocean I have ever seen and paused only to take a short day trip to Hana, where we saw incredible views like these. The somewhat treacherous road was populated with tiny fruit stands and big-ish shacks with large windows weary travelers could walk up to and find nourishment and rest from the overload of beauty — after all, one can only see so much salty ocean, mango skies, and green palm trees before one goes off the deep end wondering why the heck don’t we live here — and order things like banana bread, which this road is famous for. At the end of our journey, thinking we ate more banana bread than ever thought possible, we stopped again — I mean the sign made up stop, yeah — to try the only coconut bread found on the road to Hana.
Not being the biggest coconut fan, I let my husband do the devouring — and he did not disappoint — hearing mumbled praises for this coconut bread, Phyllis’s coconut bread. Oh, it’s so soft and moist, Ohmygah this is the best bread ever, Forget banana bread, this bread beats all were only a few of the many things coming from my husbands over stuffed mouth, which basically means, Meg, love of my life, please make me this coconut bread, I don’t think I can live without it. And so, I faithfully tracked down Phyllis, from across the other side of the world, and once we got past the whole “island time” stuff (us city folk don’t really know how to respond to this seemingly lackadaisical attitude) was finally sent the recipe to this most beloved bread. (See, I can be a good wife!)
The recipe was surprisingly easy, requiring very few ingredients, but my mind immediately interpreted melted butter as brown butter, and flaked coconut as toasted coconut, and here were are six loaves later (I won’t mention the in two days part, I don’t want you to think we are fatties or anything) I have tested every different way to make this — the original, with brown butter, with toasted coconut, with brown butter and toasted coconut, extra flavorings, more pineapple — and have finally decided that phyllis’s coconut bread should be kept as is, no wait, we liked the toasted coconut better, actually we loved the brown butter. Err, toasted and brown butter? I guess it doesn’t matter they are all fantastic.
One Year Ago: Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs and Gyros
Phyllis’s Toasted Coconut Brown Butter Bread
Adapted from Phyllis in Hana Hawaii
Makes two 1 pound loaves, or one 2-pound loaf
After much debate, we finally decided that the toasted with brown butter slightly (very slightly) edged out the others, which is the recipe below. To make the original Phyllis coconut bread, do not toast the coconut, and do not brown the butter, just melt it.
1 1/2 stick of butter
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flaked coconut, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups pureed pineapple (pineapple chunks and their juice blended until smooth)
2 3/4 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Spread 1 cup of the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes stirring every few minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a small sauce pan over medium heat cook butter until chestnut brown and smells nutty.
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine, brown butter and sugar and mix together. Add eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add remaining 1 cup coconut and vanilla. Mix thoroughly together. Add pineapple puree and beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add flour, baking powder and salt, mixing just until incorporated.
Grease a loaf pan with butter or Pam and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour batter into pan (or divide between pans if using a 1-pound loaf pan). Sprinkle with brown sugar, and then reserved toasted coconut. Loosely tent pan with foil, making sure there is plenty of room for the bread to rise. Bake for 45 – 60 minutes or until the loaf does not wobble. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool until room temperature. Slice and serve.
Spoon More: Cake, Coconut, Everyday Cakes, Freezer Friendly, Muffins/Quick Breads
Love coconut. Love the brown butter coconut bread!
We don’t get coconut like that here, only tiny little flakes! I can’t believe I have coconut envy but what with that and being able to buy peanut butter chips- you don’t know how lucky you are!! :P
You are a very good wife to make this for your hubby even though you don’t enjoy coconut (although I have to say, I have no idea how ANYONE could not love it!). I’m the only one in my home who eats coconut but this looks SO good… I just may make a recipe just for me! Thanks for sharing!
it looks divine! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you Thank you Thank you! :-)
That bread looks incredible. I’ve never had coconut bread before. I’m a big fan of coconut so I will definitely have to give it a try.
Ooooh, this bread sounds wonderful! I love all things coconut and pineapple, so this is right up my alley!
This sounds so good! I like the pureed pineapple added to the cake, yummy!
Wonderful coconut bread, loved the fresh colors and flavors !!!
Hi this looks so yummy!!! Will be trying both versions very soon. Just wondering which flour you used? All purpose? Thanks
Hawa — I used all purpose.
This sounds so wonderful! I can’t wait to make it and take it to my in-laws, where there are several coconut lovers like myself!!
this looks fabulous!!! wowowowow!
Have you tried it with fresh pineapple puree and fresh coconut? Recipe sounds fantastic. I love coconut and pineapple! (Prefer my pineapple fresh, though!!!!)
This bread looks and sounds amazing! So full of coconut goodness on so many levels! Congrats on the Top 9 :)!
Curious — is the coconut sweetened or unsweetened that you used? Thanks!
I was given a pineapple in a fruit basket on Friday and I couldn’t think of anything to do with it but chop it up and eat it with a fork. What a great idea. I’m off to bake. Sounds orgasmic to me!
Thanks.
Meg, you know how to keep the vacation memories alive, lady! I bet you have scored some points with your husband and it will come handy in the future for, like, painting the house or something like that :)
Did you do down into Kaenae? It’s a little side trip on the way to Hana. Our dear friends live on Maui in Kihei and we spent Thanksgiving there and my husband wants to move! Banana Bread heaven – but I’m going to try your coconut bread – it sounds great! There used to be one little old lady that sold the coconut candy on the road to Hana – now everybody has it.
I missed trying it! :(
Kimberli — thanks to my husbands awesome memory, I used sweetened flaked coconut. If using unsweetened, add an extra 1/4 cup of sugar.
Wow this looks incredible! I live on Maui….I think a trip to Hana is on order :) Aloha!
I could not even wait for this to cool down before I sliced right into it. I am in heaven!!! I think calling this a bread is a little misleading – it’s a cake all the way. No matter how you slice it; it was delicious and easy and I’ll make it again & again :)
This just looks pretty! I love recreating trip foods, it brings back so many good memories. Taste certainly triggers some of the best parts of my brain.
This looks wonderful! I’m in love with browned butter and wouldn’t do it any other way.
Hi. I’m making this tomorrow and I’m wondering, how much coconut do you reserve for the top? The ingredients indicate that the coconut is divided, but the recipe doesn’t specify quantities. Thanks for your help!
Traca — the toasted coconut is reserved for the topping, the remaining 1 cup of un-toasted coconut goes in the cake.
This was amazing!!! I did the original recipe and it was SO moist…one of my new favorites and will be making this often.
Thank you for sharing, so yummy!!
Hi! I just got back from a trip to Maui this June. And I’m still thinking about the Pineapple bread from the road to Hana. Started googling today hoping to find a recipe! So thankful to have come across your website. The bread was one of my top five things to eat at Maui! Along with pizza from Flatbread and an avocado cheeseburger from Cool Cat Cafe! Glad to have one recipe as a reminder come January in a snowy Indiana of what Paradise tastes like! Thanks for posting and doing the research.
Thanks for posting this! My husband and I spent our 3rd anniversary in Maui (my first time ever in Hawaii), and this was one of my favorite foods from there! I’m glad I won’t have to make the treacherous drive to that small stop before I can have another taste of this amazing bread =)
(I will be posting pictures of my results on my website if anyone is interested.)