Coconut Turmeric Sweet Bread
With its burnished orange, red-flecked crumb, this vegan quick bread is visually stunning. Yet its flavor is what will really win you over - with coconut and turmeric, as well as grace notes from the tahini used to grease the pan. You can use either refined or virgin coconut oil here, but the latter will yield a more pronounced coconut presence. Leave the pistachios off if you must, but the cake won't be as pretty without them.
1 tablespoon tahini (well stirred), for the pan
1½ cups flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsweetened nondairy milk such as soy, almond or coconut, slightly warmed
½ cup coconut oil, liquefied/melted
16 shelled, unsalted pistachios, for garnish (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square pan with a thin layer of the tahini.
Combine the flour, baking powder, shredded coconut, sugar, turmeric and salt in a mixing bowl.
Whisk together your choice of nondairy milk and the liquefied coconut oil in a large liquid measuring cup. Pour that mixture into the bowl, stirring just long enough to form a thick, evenly moistened batter.
Transfer to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly into the corners. Arrange the pistachios, if using, in a 4-by-4 grid; you are placing a nut at the center of what will be each baked piece. Bake (middle rack) for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. A few cracks on the top are OK.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then use a round-edged knife to loosen around the edges of the quick bread. Carefully invert to dislodge, then turn it right side up on a cutting board. Let it cool for a few more minutes, then cut into 16 equal portions.
Serve slightly warm, or cool completely before storing. The quick bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. For long-term cold storage, wrap the uncut bread tightly in plastic wrap and freeze, for up to several months.
Serves 16
Nutrition | Servings Per Container: 16; Calories: 160; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Sodium: 100 mg; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 7 g; Protein: 2 g.
Adapted from "Tahini and Turmeric: 101 Middle Eastern Classics - Made Irresistibly Vegan," by Vicky Cohen and Ruth Fox (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2018).