Bajan Sweet Bread (Barbados) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup shortening (or coconut oil)
1/3 cup butter
2 cups flour
1 pinch salt
2 1/4 cups grated coconut
1/4 cup raisins, chopped
1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
1 tablespoon grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon almond extract
1 1/3 cups evaporated milk
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon butter (for pan)
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350*F and lightly grease a bread pan. The original recipe calls for 2 bread pans, but the bread doesn't rise at all so it bakes nicely in one pan.
In a mixer cream together the brown sugar, shortening and butter.
Add flour, salt, grated coconut, raisins, cherries, nutmeg and mix well.
Stir in almond extract, evaporated milk, and water, until a firm dough is formed. (You may need to add additional water.).
Split the dough evenly between the two pans, and use a knife to cut a diagonal criss-cross pattern on the top of each loaf. Sprinkle 1 tbsp turbinado sugar over the top of each loaf.
Bake for about 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean (Or a digital thermometer reads 190*F.) Cool completely in the pans before removing.