Coconut Cake

• This is a simple recipe inspired by a large cake recipe in ‘All About Cookery New Edition’, by Mrs Beeton published in 1911.

• Mrs Beeton writes “ … dessicated cocoanut is now sold at a moderate price, and its use saves much trouble and labour.”

• Coconuts are the edible fruit of Cocos nucifera, – kokos in Polish, and probably originated in the area of Indonesia and Malaya and then spread to India.

• Marco Polo came across coconuts and they were then called Pharaoh’s nuts as they were found in Egypt.
• Venetians were trading in coconuts by the 13th Century.
• William Dampier (1651-1715), a buccaneer and explorer brought coconuts to England though they did not become popular until the early 19th century.
• *
• My father was not keen on coconut so this was not a recipe my mother made.
• I originally made this cake in a round tin but have now also also tried it out in a rectangular tin, which makes it easier to slice and portion out.

INGREDIENTS

150g butter

150g caster sugar

200g plain flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

75g dessicated coconut

2 eggs

4 to 5 tablespoons of milk

*

2 tablespoons of apricot or strawberry jam

3 tablespoons of dessicated coconut

METHOD

Pre-heat the over to GM4 – 180°C.

Grease and line or use a cake liner in a 20cm high sided cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar till fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time and beat again.

Mix the flour, baking powder and coconut together.

Fold this into the mixture.

Add enough milk to make a soft mixture.

Put into the cake tin – flatten the top.

Bake for 40 – 45 minutes.

*

Leave the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

Take the cake out of the tin.

Mix the jam with ½ a tablespoon of water and heat gently.

Brush the top of the cake with the jam.

Sprinkle the coconut on top of the jam.

*

Alternative size

26 x 20 cm rectangular cake tin.

Line 3 sides with one piece of greaseproof paper.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Colclough Stardust & Duchess Bramble Rose tea plates