Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 250g unsalted butter
- 250g caster sugar
- 250g plain four
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100ml coconut milk (canned)
- 75 g desiccated coconut
Buttercream:
- 125g butter
- 270g icing sugar
- 25ml coconut milk
- 30g dessicated coconut
To assemble:
- 100g raspberry jam
- 100g desiccated coconut
- Pink food colouring
- Few drops of water
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 170C and grease and line your cake tins.
- Cream together the butter and sugar, it should be really light and fluffy at this stage.
- Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each one before adding the next.
- Sift in the flour and then add in the coconut milk, desiccated coconut, vanilla and baking powder.
- Mix until it is all incorporated, but no more than you need to.
- I used 3x 6 inch cake tins, but it would work with 2x 8 inch cake tins.
- Divide the mixture between the tins, and bake for 25-30 minutes until a knife comes out clean.
- Allow to cool fully before decorating.
- I like to level my cakes so they stack nicely. If your cakes have domed in the oven, when the cakes are fully cool, slice the tops off.
Buttercream:
- Mix together the icing sugar, butter, desiccated coconut and coconut milk. Add more or less icing sugar depending on the consistency you want. I went for a piping consistency.
- Transfer to a piping bag
To assemble:
- To create the coconut effect on the outside of the cake, mix the desiccated coconut with a few drops of water and a little food colouring. Add in small quantities so you can check how dark the colour is. You may need to allow the coconut to dry out a little here if it seems to be clumping up too much. I spread mine out on a baking tray and popped it in the oven on a low heat for a few minutes.
- Use a pastry brush to coat the outside edge of the cakes with a thin layer of jam.
- With the coconut spread out on a baking tray, carefully roll the cake along like a wheel to coat the outer edge in coloured coconut.
- To assemble the cake, layer up the sponges with the buttercream and jam, and top with buttercream and fresh fruit. You can be creative here with whatever you have!
- Enjoy!
