I have been wanting to prepare a Coconut Cake for a long time. I was in doubt whether I should use fresh coconut or desiccated ones. Finally I decided to prepare homemade desiccated coconut and the cake thus happened. The idea of custard apple and cream is from Chef Vicky Ratnani. I saw it in a program called ‘Do it Sweet’ aired on NDTV Good Times.
ingredients for the Coconut Cake
Flour (maida) – 3 cups
Eggs – 3 large or 4
Caster Sugar – 2 ¼ cup
Veg oil – 1 ¼ cup
Vanilla Extract – 1 tsp
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Dessicated coconut – 6 tbsp (Check ‘Basics’ page for method)
ingredients for the Custard Apple Cream
Custard Apple – 3 (just ripe fruit)
Sugar – 3 tbsp
Whipping Cream Powder – ¾ cup
Chilled water – 40 ml
If you are using fresh cream you might require 300-400ml medium fat cream
Method to prepare the cake
Preheat Over at 180 C.
Sieve the flour and baking powder three times.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs one by one: Place one egg in the bowl and place the electric mixer on the yolk and start fluffing up the yolk and white until they are combined well. Continue with the other eggs. Once all the eggs are added continue for one more minute.
Add the caster sugar little by little in speed 1 or 2. When all the sugar is added switch to high speed and continue beating for about 5 minutes till the mix has doubled in volume. Add the vanilla extract and oil and mix together for a minute.
While adding the flour, use a spatula to mix the batter. Add the flour little by little until fully used up. Add the dessicated coconut and mix well. Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 180C for 40 minutes (Keep checking after 35 minutes because oven temperatures vary). Let it cool in the pan for ten minutes.
Take the cake out of the pan and let it cool for a day (Keep it wrapped in an aluminium foil in a refrigerator).
Method to prepare custard apple cream
Deseed the Custard Apple. Grind it coarsely along with 3 tbsp sugar.
Place the whipping cream powder in a bowl and gradually add the cold water and whip it into cream. Add 2 tbsp cream into the custard apple and blend for a second. Transfer the custard apple mix into the whipped cream and gently fold in.
Assembling the cake
Cut the cake into two horizontally. Place a layer of the custard apple cream on one layer of the cake. Place the other half of the cake over it. Place the whipped cream in the middle of the cake and spread it to the sides evenly. Decorate the cake with custard apple seeds (not to be eaten – take care while serving the cake to kids).
Enjoy!!