Coconut Milk Cake

I made this cake for a family picnic and everyone loved it. It isn't an overly pretty or decorated cake per se but it's flavour more than makes up for this. I was first drawn to this cake when I purchased Saved by Cake by Marian Keyes - Over 80 ways to bake yourself happy. Marian introduces the cake by including the text message from her friend Julie a couple of hours after she had dropped some around to her. OMG, orgasmic and scrumptious were some of the terms used, and so I knew I had to try it.

The result, was just as the text message conveyed - delicious and irresistible!

I hope you enjoy eating this cake as much as we do. I have also made mini versions of this cake with wheat & gluten free SR flour and it works just as well. Adjust the cooking time by one third if making a cupcake version and test using a cake skewer to ensure it is cooked through.

Coconut Milk Cake

A recipe adapted from Saved by Cake by Marian Keyes

Ingredients
170g butter
300g caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
250g self raising flour ( gluten free SR flour also works well)
pinch of salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
50g shredded coconut (I use McKenzies Moist Coconut Flakes)
200ml coconut milk (I used light)

Syrup
200ml coconut milk ( I used light)
40g light brown sugar


Method

Preheat the oven to 170 C/325F. Liberally grease a bundt tin or a large (25cm) round cake 
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Then add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Stir through the vanilla.


In another bowl sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and coconut. Pour about one third of the coconut milk and one third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Fold through and continue until all the ingredients are combined. Spoon mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for approximately 1 hour. 

Meanwhile, start the syrup by combining the coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a quick simmer to thicken slightly then turn off the heat.


When the cake is ready take it out of the oven and prick it all over with a cake skewer, leaving holes for the syrup to leak in to. Pour half of the warm syrup over and wait for 20 minutes or so then pour the remaining syrup over the cake. Leave the cake in the tin to cool. Because it is so moist you have to be really carefully turning it out. 

Mini coconut milk cakes - Gluten Free

I have also made this cake by first turning the semi-cooled cake out onto a cake platter and have then spooned the syrup over. This way you can avoid the possibility of some the cake sticking to the base of the pan. 

Enjoy!