Coconut Walnut Pumpkin Bread

Once in a while I come across a recipe that will stay in my mind and have a front row seat in my recipe files, year after year. When fall rolls around, this is the recipe I bring out and make for my family and friends over and over.  Since I teach about pumpkin in my classes and talk about pumpkins continually, (and yes it can get boring to others), trust me this is no boring recipe!  It makes two loaves, one for today and one for later. It’s perfect in the sense it’s easy and quite different with the use of coconut. Whether you use canned pumpkin or fresh pumpkin, the amount stays the same. If you are interested in cooking pumpkin puree from scratch use  Cooking Technique for Roasting a Pumpkin.

Makes 2 loaves

3 1/2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup coconut milk or milk
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter and dust with flour two 8-4 loaf pans.

Sift in a large bowl the flour,brown sugar, sugar, soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
In a seperate bowl whisk together pumpkin puree, oil,milk, and eggs.
Stir pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients, mixing only until combined.
Fold in coconut and walnuts.
Divide batter between the two prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees until the top of the bread springs
back when pressed gently and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow bread to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out of pans.
Allow bread to cool completely on a wire rack.

Note: In this photo you see chunks of coconut because I switched to an organic brand that had larger flakes.
To use this product in the bread again, I would place it in the food processor and blend it until it is chopped finer.

If  you look closer at the photo, I served the bread with the larger organic flakes. They’re delicious alone as a snack.

Recipe adapted by Copia

© 2011, California Greek Girl. All rights reserved.

Tagged as: coconut, cooking technique for roasting a pumpkin, Fall, pumpkin bread, Thanksgiving