Coconut Bread (Gluten Free)

We've found that the best gluten-free recipes rely on a custom blend of flours and starches. To make your own sorghum flour, blitz whole sorghum to a powder with a Vitamix blender or a NutriBullet.

nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1½ cups white rice flour
¾ cup sorghum flour
¾ cup tapioca starch
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. xanthan gum
1½ cups sugar
1½ cups unsweetened coconut milk
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. pure coconut extract
4 large eggs
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Line a 9x5" loaf pan with parchment, leaving overhang on long sides; coat with nonstick spray (to use an 8½x4½" pan, hold back 1 cup batter).

Toast shredded coconut on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Let cool.

Whisk rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar, coconut milk, oil, and coconut extract, if using, in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat mixture until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in dry ingredients. Increase speed to medium; beat batter 5 minutes. Beat in toasted coconut. Scrape batter into prepared pan; top with coconut flakes.

Bake bread until top springs back when gently pressed and a tester inserted all the way to the bottom comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 80-95 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let bread cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn out bread onto rack and let cool completely.

Make-Ahead: Bread can be baked 4 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature

Makes 8 servings.