Orange Coconut Bread

Toss everything in the bread machine, press start, walk away. That’s the whole gig with this orange coconut loaf, a sneaky-good quick bake that smells like sunshine and carrot cake had a baby. Shredded carrot keeps the crumb tender and adds a whisper of sweetness without tipping into dessert territory. Fresh orange zest is the workhorse here, hitting both the aroma and the flavor in a way bottled extract never will. Don’t skip the gluten flour. Bread flour alone gives you a decent loaf, but that small spoonful of vital wheat gluten is what props up all the chunky add-ins so the bread doesn’t sink in the middle. The unflavored gelatin sounds odd in a bread, but it locks in moisture and gives the slice a soft, almost cake-like chew that holds up for days on the counter.

Kitchen Tips

• Add ingredients in the order your machine recommends, usually wet first, then dry, then yeast on top so it doesn’t hit the liquid early.
• Use the basic or sweet bread cycle. Whole wheat or rapid cycles will overproof this dough.
• Toast the coconut in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes before adding for deeper flavor and color.
• Grate the carrots finely on a box grater, not a food processor, so they melt into the crumb instead of leaving wet pockets.
• Slice cooled, then freeze in slices for grab-and-go breakfast toast.

Variations

• Swap margarine for softened butter for a richer crumb.
• Add ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
• Stir ½ teaspoon ground cardamom into the dry ingredients for a warm, floral lift.