Bajan Sweet Bread (Barbados)

A sweet coconut bread with a light almond flavor and little bits of dried fruit. Eat a slice as a snack, dessert, or as toast for breakfast. The bread is a little crumbly (like banana bread,) and absolutely delicious! from caribbeanchoice.com

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄3 cup shortening (or coconut oil)
• 1⁄3 cup butter
• 2  cups flour
• 1  pinch salt
• 2 1⁄4 cups  grated coconut
• 1⁄4 cup raisins, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 1  tablespoon  grated nutmeg
• 1  tablespoon  almond extract
• 1 1⁄3 cups evaporated milk
• 3  tablespoons water
• 1  tablespoon butter (for pan)
• 2  tablespoons turbinado sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F and lightly grease a bread pan. The original recipe calls for 2 bread pans, but the bread doesn't rise at all so it bakes nicely in one pan.
2. In a mixer cream together the brown sugar, shortening and butter.
3. Add flour, salt, grated coconut, raisins, cherries, nutmeg and mix well.
4. Stir in almond extract, evaporated milk, and water, until a firm dough is formed. (You may need to add additional water.).
5. Split the dough evenly between the two pans, and use a knife to cut a diagonal criss-cross pattern on the top of each loaf. Sprinkle 1 tbsp turbinado sugar over the top of each loaf.
6. Bake for about 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean (Or a digital thermometer reads 190*F.) Cool completely in the pans before removing.