Sunday, April 12, 2009 Week 5

Triple Coconut Cake #5

It is Easter again and my choice is to either bake the lamby-cake again or try a new cake so here goes the new cake:

Triple Coconut Cake
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp. turbinado sugar
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. table salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream of coconut
1/4 cup coconut rum
Preheat oven to 350. Coat an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan with butter and tubinado sugar; set aside. Pulse toasted coconut in food processor until fine; set aside. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and ground coconut in a bowl; set aside. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed. Beat until white and fluffy, 5-7 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl periodically. Add egg; blend on medium speed for 1 minute. Combine the milk, cream of coconut and rum in a cup with a pour spout. Alternately beat the dry and wet mixture, starting and ending with dry. After each addition, mix on low speed for 30 seconds then on medium speed for 1 minute. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan; bake for 35 minutes, then rotate the cake 180 degrees in the oven. Bake 30 minutes longer, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool upside down. transfer to a cutting board, still upside; slice into wedges. Serve with icing and fruit salsa.
To toast the coconut:
Spread the coconut on a paper or microwaveable plate. Zap it on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until it's lightly golden. It will crisp up as it cools.

Fruit Salsa1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled, halved1 cup fresh pineapple, diced2 tsp. fresh mint, choppedjuice of 1/2 a limeStir all the ingredients together.

Tangy Pineapple Icing2 1/2 cups powdered sugar1 Tbsp. light corn syrup1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice2 tsp. lime zest , minced1 cup pineapple juice1/4 cup sugarpinch of saltCombine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Boil pineapple juice, sugar and salt in a saucepan over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup. Pour syrup mixture over powdered sugar mixture and stir. ( can be made 1 day ahead of time. Keep at room temperature; thin with lime juice if necessary).

This was not a big hit at our house and it was a ton of work. If you like coconut, give it a shot!!! Looks like "lamby-cake" will be back next Easter!!

This recipe is from Cuisine at Home Magazine Issue #62, April 2007, page 4