Coconut Lime Loaf
A tender, aromatic Caribbean-style quick bread studded with shredded coconut and bright with fresh lime zest. The combination of lime juice and zest keeps the crumb moist while coconut adds both flavor and texture. Serve warm with coffee, or glaze with lime icing for a more indulgent treat.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Makes
- 1 loaf (10 slices)
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper
- Bring eggs and sour cream to room temperature (about 30 minutes)
- Zest limes before juicing them to ensure fresh zest
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour, 1½ tsp (7.5 g) baking powder, and ¼ tsp (1.5 g) salt.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Mixture looks evenly combined with no lumps
Tip: Whisk thoroughly to distribute the baking powder evenly for consistent rise
Cream butter and sugar
- In a large bowl, beat ½ cup (115 g) softened unsalted butter and 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar together for 3–4 minutes on medium speed using a hand mixer or wooden spoon.
- The mixture should be pale, fluffy, and light in color.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale and fluffy, roughly doubled in volume
Tip: Proper creaming incorporates air, which helps the loaf rise—don't rush this step
Add eggs one at a time
- Add the 2 large room-temperature eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition (about 1 minute per egg) until fully incorporated.
- The batter should look creamy and smooth, not separated.
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Ready when: Each egg is fully combined before the next is added; batter looks emulsified
Tip: Room-temperature eggs blend in smoothly without breaking the emulsion—cold eggs can cause a lumpy batter
Stir in sour cream and lime
- Gently fold in the ¾ cup (180 ml) sour cream in two additions using a rubber spatula, stirring just until combined.
- Add the 2 tbsp (12 g) lime zest and 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice, stirring until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- The batter will look thicker and may have slight streaks of lime zest visible.
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Ready when: Sour cream is folded in smoothly; lime zest is visible throughout
Tip: Fold rather than beat to avoid overdeveloping gluten, which would make the loaf tough
Add dry ingredients and coconut
- Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients in two additions, stirring gently just until combined—a few small streaks of flour are okay.
- Fold in 1 cup (90 g) unsweetened shredded coconut and ½ tsp (2.5 ml) coconut extract if using.
- Do not overmix; the batter should be thick and lumpy rather than smooth.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are just incorporated; coconut is evenly distributed
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and creates a dense, tough crumb—stop as soon as flour disappears
Transfer to pan and smooth
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan, smoothing the top gently with a spatula.
- The batter should fill the pan about two-thirds full.
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Ready when: Batter is level in the pan
Tip: Don't knock the pan or overly handle it—you want to keep the air bubbles you've incorporated
Bake until goldenOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 45–50 minutes.
- The top should be deep golden brown, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, and the internal temperature should reach 205°F (96°C).
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Ready when: Top is deep golden brown; toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs; internal temperature reaches 205°F (96°C)
Tip: Start checking at 45 minutes; ovens vary, and a too-long bake will dry out the crumb. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil
Cool in pan and turn out
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Then turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely, at least 5 minutes more, before slicing.
- The crumb will continue to set as it cools.
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Ready when: Loaf is cool enough to handle and slice without falling apart
Tip: Slicing while too warm will compress the crumb; patience rewards you with neater slices
Good to know
Tips
- Unsweetened coconut tastes fresher and lets the lime shine through; if you use sweetened coconut, reduce the sugar by about 3 tablespoons (38 g) to avoid cloying sweetness
- The batter should be thick and lumpy, not smooth—quick breads develop their tender crumb through minimal mixing, unlike cake batters which are often beaten until smooth
- Zest the limes before juicing to ensure you capture the most flavorful zest; zesting after juicing is harder and less fruitful
- For extra moisture, brush the still-warm loaf with a simple lime-sugar glaze made from 1 cup powdered sugar and 2–3 tbsp fresh lime juice, whisked until smooth
Make ahead
Bake the loaf up to 1 day ahead, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and store at room temperature. Reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes if you prefer it warm.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature (up to 2 days): wrap tightly in plastic wrap to retain moisture. Refrigerator (up to 5 days): store in an airtight container. Freezer (up to 3 months): wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then place in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours before serving.
Substitutions
- Sour cream → Greek yogurt or plain full-fat yogurt. Use the same amount. The loaf will be slightly less dense but still moist. Greek yogurt will be a bit tangier.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut → Sweetened shredded coconut. Use the same amount, but reduce the sugar in the recipe by 2–3 tablespoons (25–38 g) to avoid excess sweetness.
- Fresh lime juice → Fresh lemon juice. Swap directly for lime juice. The flavor will shift to a brighter citrus note with less tropical character.
- Large eggs → 2 large egg whites plus 1 tbsp water. The loaf will be slightly less rich but still rise well. It may dry out a bit faster in storage.
