Gluten Free Coconut Lime Tea Loaf

I bring you this delicious summery tea loaf today. I adapted the recipe from one of my favorite baking books Cakes: River Cottage Handbook No.8. I made a few changes to the already lovely recipe.

It's gluten free because I have a bunch of rice flour in my freezer that Scott keeps complaining about. Must use it up. It's coconut lime because I had both coconut milk and limes that also needed using up. Serendipitously for me, all of these "clean-out-the-fridge" items made a fantastic treat. It is also very low in fat since I didn't use any oil or butter. Just light coconut milk. Another bonus! I can't be expected to eat an entire tea loaf and still put on my bikini this weekend, can I? Well, yes, now I can. I have been enjoying slices of this bread with jam in the morning, toasted along with milky tea in the morning, and even as a base for another favorite of mine, Trader Joe's Frozen Yogurt, in the evening.

I'm sure this recipe would work with regular flour and would equally be good with orange or lemon juice also. And if you happen to have pineapple juice, I would definitely try that combo and then bring me a slice. Let me know if you make it!

Gluten Free Coconut Lime Tea Loaf
(adapted from Cakes: River Cottage Handbook No.8)
For the cake:

Serves 10-12

1 cup rice flour

2 tsp gluten-free baking powder

1 tsp xanthan gum (To prevent sinking. I recommend it for gluten free baking.)

3/4 cup light coconut milk (You can also use full fat if you have it.)

Finely grated zest of 3–4 small limes

1/2 cup caster sugar

3 eggs

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

For the drizzle

1/2 cup coconut milk

the juice of about  3-4 freshly squeezed limes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Sift together the rice flour, baking powder and xanthan gum, if using, into a bowl. 

In a mixing bowl, combine the coconut milk and lime zest. Add the sugar until the mixture is light and creamy.

Add the eggs, one at a time.

Carefully fold in the remaining flour, then fold in the desiccated coconut. 

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, lightly smoothing over the surface with the back of a spoon.

Bake in the oven for 40–45 minutes or until the surface is nicely golden and the cake feels springy to the touch. 

Shortly before the cake will be ready, prepare the drizzle by combining the coconut milk and lime juice. 

When the cake comes out of the oven, prick the surface deeply, but not to the bottom, all over with a skewer.

Spoon half the syrup over the surface and leave to cool for 10 minutes before spooning the remainder over the top and down the sides. Leave until cool before turning out. 

This cake will keep for 5 days in an airtight tin.