Trinidad sweet bread is a classic dessert that’s popular around Christmas time in the Caribbean.
The ‘bread’ is made with fresh coconut meat, raisins, mixed peel, and spices.
It’s coconuty deliciousness.
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Eggless Sweet Bread Ingredients
Sweet bread is hubby’s favorite dessert.
He’s been making it (or at least helping to make it) since he was ten.
He is always experimenting with the ingredients and ratios and you can too.
If you like a crumbly, coconuty slice, this recipe is perfect for you.
If you prefer a more cake-like sweet bread, then you should add more flour to this recipe and reduce the coconut meat.
Here’s what you need for this Trinidad sweet bread recipe:
- coconut meat from a dry, brown coconut
- flour
- baking powder
- cinnamon powder
- nutmeg powder
- butter
- condensed milk
- vanilla essence
- raisins
- mixed peel
- maraschino cherries
- sugar
Freshly grated coconut meat is the secret ingredient to this recipe. If you don’t have a dried coconut on hand, you can use shredded coconut. Bob’s Red Mill shredded coconut is a great choice.
Mixed peel is another important ingredient. Ever heard of it? Mixed peel is usually made with citrus peels, preserved in syrup and sometimes colored with red and green coloring (they add that festive, Christmasy look to your bread!).
I love the mild citrus taste of the mixed peel, so hubby usually adds extras to the sweet bread.
Get mixed peel on Amazon from Paradise (they come with mixed peel and cherries):
Colored cherries also add that festive look to the sweet bread.
Here’s a look at the ingredients he used:
How to Make Eggless Trinidad Sweet Bread
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
To start the sweet bread, crack open your brown coconut and remove the coconut meat. Peel the brown part behind the meat since the shreds tend to be rougher with it.
Next, grate the coconut meat. You can hand grate or use your blender or food processor to do this. Or get Bob’s Red Mill shredded coconut and skip this step ha!
Incorporate the dry ingredients first: flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg powder.
Mix in the shredded coconut.
Wash the raisins. Chop the maraschino cherries. Add them and the mixed peel to the dry ingredients.
Combine thoroughly. Check out those long coconut shreds.
Here’s where things get a little messy.
Mix in the softened butter to the ingredients.
Then, add in the condensed milk and essence.
You’ll end up with a sticky mixture.
Divide into two and place in buttered loaf pans. Sprinkle sugar on the bread.
Bake for 40 – 45 minutes.
That’s it! Your eggless coconut sweet bread is done. Serve with a wonderful glass of sorrel or other Christmas favorites.
Trini Eggless Sweet Bread Recipe
Eggless Trinidad Sweet Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 brown coconut (yields 2 cups of grated coconut meat)
- 3½ cups flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp nutmeg powder
- 1½ cups raisins
- ¾ cup mixed peel (preferably colored)
- ½ cup maraschino cherries (chopped)
- 1 cup butter (soften)
- 1½ cups condensed milk
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350°F.
- Remove coconut meat, peel brown ‘skin.’
- Grate coconut meat (1 coconut should yield 2 cups of grated coconut).
- Mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder.
- Incorporate grated coconut meat to flour mixture.
- Wash raisins and add to flour.
- Add mixed peel and chopped cherries.
- Work butter into the flour-coconut blend.
- Add condensed milk and essence to the mixture (which should be somewhat sticky).
- Place in two buttered loaf pans.
- Sprinkle brown sugar over the sweet bread.
- Bake for 40 – 45 minutes.
Notes
- For a more cake-like sweet bread, add another half cup of flour. Also, reduce the raisins, cherries and mixed peel quantities.
- To reduce the sweetness, use less condensed milk and eliminate the sugar topping.
How do you make your sweet bread? Let me know in the comments (and don’t forget to leave a recipe rating if you loved this one!).
