Coconut Bread

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9 X 5 X 3 – inch loaf pan, knocking out excess flour.

Toast and grind Coconut

1. Spread 3 Cups coconut in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and toast in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until evenly golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. (Watch flakes carefully; edges burn quickly.) 
2. Cool completely in pan on rack, about 15 minutes, then grind in a food processor to a coarse meal, about 40 seconds (you will have about 1 ¼ cups.) 
3. Leave oven on.

Make Batter

1. Stir together self-rising flour, ground coconut, and remaining cup (untoasted)coconut in a large bowl. 
2. Beat together butter and sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. 
3. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk 1 cup water into flour mixture, then add egg mixture, whisking just until well blended.

Bake Bread

1. Pour batter into loaf pan, smoothing top with a spatula, and bake in middle of oven until a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean and top is evenly brown, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. 
2. Cool bread to warm in pan on rack, 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out of pan and set right side up on rack to
   cool completely, about 2 hours more. 
3. Cut into 1-inch-thick slices.
    

4. Notes: Bread slices easier if kept, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temp 1 day.

   Makes 1 loaf (8 servings).