Showing posts with label coconut. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coconut. Show all posts
I decided to bake a cake for Todd so as to make up for having baked Brownies the other day. He is not fond of chocolate as you know. He loves coconut, and so I decided to bake him a Coconut Cake.
I had seen a recipe a few weeks back on Clodagh McKenna's FB Page for a Cloudy Coconut Cake. (Way back in the archives of 2017) But the link never took me to any recipe for it. I decided to wing it.
Winging it isn't something I would recommend to people without much experience in the kitchen. You are likely to experience many more failures than successes. I have been baking and cooking for about 50 years now so I can do so without too many problems.
I used a basic layer sponge cake recipe and replaced milk with coconut milk and added a bit of coconut oil as well . . . for plenty of coconut flavour and moistness.
The lemon in the cake batter comes from the use of the juice of one lemon. When you use something like lemon juice in a cake, you need to add bicarbonate of soda to counteract the acidity and help get a rise. Not sure why that is. Its a chemical reaction of sorts.
You could use half butter and half shortening and get a lighter cake, but I don't mind cakes which are a bit dense and so use all butter.
There are more coconut and lemon flavours in the frosting/filling. A bit of coconut oil and the zest and juice of one lemon goes into the butter cream.
I went for broke and added a layer of lemon curd to fill as well . . . Todd was not so happy about that, because he not only doesn't like chocolate, but he also doesn't like lemon . . .
If I had left out the lemon curd he probably would not have noticed . . . but alas . . . I never do anything halfway . . . and so he did.
He really enjoyed the cake otherwise however . . . I know . . . its not quite natural to dislike chocolate and lemon . . .
I used large natural, raw coconut flakes to decorate the top of the cake.
I think they looked really nice. They are also not sweetened . . .
The cake itself is pretty sweet enough. You could toast them I suppose, but I liked the way they looked in their raw state. I thought they gave the cake a really pretty finish!
Yield: Makes one 8 inch layer cake
Coconut & Lemon Cake
A rich and moist layer cake with beautiful coconut and lemon flavours. Frost and fill with a lemon frosting and dust with coconut flakes to finish. You can also add a layer of lemon curd to the filling if you wish. (completely optional)
ingredients:
For the cake layers:
- 300g plain flour (2 cups plus 2 1/2 TBS)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 285g caster sugar (1 1/2 cups)
- 240g butter, melted (1 cup)
- 240ml coconut milk (1 cup)
- 2 large free range eggs
- the juice of one lemon
- 1 TBS coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 120g butter softened (1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- the finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
- 250g icing sugar, sifted (scant 2 cups)
- 100g raw coconut flakes to decorate (1 cup)
- Lemon Curd to fill (Optional)
instructions:
How to cook Coconut & Lemon Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter 2 8-inch round layer cake tins and line the bottoms with baking paper.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and soda. Stir in the sugar. Whisk together the melted butter, coconut milk, eggs, lemon juice, coconut oil and vanilla. Add all at once to the dry ingredients. Using an electric whisk beat together until smooth and well combined, stopping to scrape the sides occasionally. Divide between the two cake tins, levelling each off. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until risen and golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean.
- Let cool in the tins for 10 to 15 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, place all of the ingredients into a bowl and beat well with an electric mixer until smooth, light and fluffy. Place one cake layer, top side down, onto a cake plate. Cover with a portion of the icing and lemon curd if using. Top with the other cake layer, top side up. Cover the remainder of the cake with the icing and then sprinkle the coconut over all to decorate. Cut into wedges to serve.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Can you see how moist and delicious that cake is? Its just wonderful. I am afraid I will never win any awards for food photography. I am far too impatient to leave things for hours and hours in the refrigerator setting up. I find myself just wanting to dig in!
One of the young Elders we have here at the moment (male missionary) is a Coeliac. He's from Sweden and I don't think he has long left on his mission. We had them for tea last weekend and I baked him a special Gluten Free Almond, Coconut and Vanilla Cake for dessert.
The whole meal was gluten free of course. Gluten free sausages with a gluten free onion gravy, mash, vegetables, salad and this cake, with some tinned fruit and cream. It went down a real treat!
I couldn't really have any of the cake as it is quite high in sugar . . . and fat for that matter, lotsa lotsa butter.
But I did taste a very tiny sliver of it, just to make sure it was okay, and it was. In fact it was moreishly okay!
Dense and buttery with lovely almond and vanilla flavours . . . and that special touch of coconut as well . . .
Dense and buttery with lovely almond and vanilla flavours . . . and that special touch of coconut as well . . .
Mmmm . . . coconut . . . almonds . . . mmmm . . .
The little sliver I tasted was soooooo good! I would have loved to have more, but I must behave.
The little sliver I tasted was soooooo good! I would have loved to have more, but I must behave.
Raspberries would have gone very well with this but we had tinned sliced peaches in juice instead . . . and some cream for Todd and the lads.
I just had the peaches and was grateful for them . . . with a dollop of plain Greek Yogurt. I love Greek Yogurt. In any case all of the men really enjoyed this.
I love that I was able to bake something for Elder Nilson that he could enjoy with abandon. That made me very happy, and him happy too! It was such a simple thing to do, but very much appreciated.
*Flourless Almond, Coconut and Vanilla Cake*
Serves 8 to 10
180g ground almonds (2 1/4 cups)
60g dessicated coconut, unsweetened (2/3 cup)
Drizzle the cooled butter into this mixture whilst whisking
constantly, to thoroughly combine. Pour into the prepared tin. It will
be a very slack mixture.
Sprinkle the flaked almonds over top.
Place the tin on a baking tray and bake in the heated oven for 40
minutes, or until the top springs back when gently pressed.
Cook the cake in the tin on a wire rack.
Bon Appetit!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Usually at the weekend I try to do us some sort of breakfast treat . . . something which is a bit out of the ordinary cereal that we have on weekday mornings. We are not really heavy eaters so we never do the bacon and eggs thing for breakfast . . . that's usually a dinner deal for us. We do like pancakes, or french toast, muffins, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon toast . . . and when I saw this on Pinterest the other day . . . Coconut Toast . . . I knew that I wanted to make it. It just sounded good, very good.
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