LEMON AND COCONUT CAKE

I tasted this cake at a friend’s morning tea earlier in the year and I recently got my hands on the recipe. I am not sure where the recipe came from, but it is a delicious cake and I think it is a perfect option for summer!  It is easy to prepare and looks great.

What you need

CAKE

225g butter, softened

1 ¼ cups caster sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

2 cups self-raising flour, sifted

½ cup desiccated coconut

½ cup milk

2 tsp lemon juice

ICING

250g cream cheese

1 cup icing sugar

1 tsp coconut essence

125g coconut chips or shredded coconut (for dusting)

How to make it

Grease and line a 20cm cake tin.

Pre-heat oven to 175°.

Beat sugar and butter with electric mixer until pale and creamy.

Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition and stir in the lemon zest.

Add the flour and desiccated coconut and fold in along with the milk and lemon juice.

Spoon the cake mixture in the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 45 mins or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

 

Leave the cake to cool for 5 mins before turning out onto cooling rack

To make the icing, beat the cream cheese with the icing sugar until creamy and pale.  Then stir in the coconut essence.

To decorate the cake, spread the icing evenly over the cake and sprinkle with the shredded coconut or coconut chips – whatever you have/prefer.

Enjoy!

CLASSIC CARROT CAKE RECIPE

Carrots are about $2 a bag at the moment, so I thought it was a perfect excuse to make a carrot cake!

This recipe is from a cookbook called “Food with Friends” that was published in 2011 by The Hamilton and Alexandra College.  It is a great collection of recipes contributed by parents of the school.

The recipe I have used was contributed by Alison Kennedy.  It is a delicious cake – very moist and the icing is perfect.  Try it at home – it is so easy!

Ingredients - cake

1 cup plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

½ cup oil (I use olive oil)

2 ½ cups grated carrot (typically this is three larger carrots)

1 cup chopped walnuts (you can use less if you like – I have used ½ a cup and that was fine)

Ingredients – frosting

50g butter (softened)

150g cream cheese

¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

½ cup icing sugar

Method

The boring bit:  Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.  Grease and line a 20cm spring-form cake tin.

The fun bit: Sift flour, baking powder, bicarb soda and cinnamon into bowl.  Stir in sugar.  Beat eggs and oil in a small separate bowl with electric mixer.  When combined, add to dry ingredients.  Add carrot and walnuts.  Combine everything.

Pour mixture into your lined cake tin and leave to rest for 5 minutes (while you clean up!).  

Bake cake for 45 – 50mins or until knife or skewer comes out clean when tested.  Stand for 10 minutes once out of the oven and before turning the cake onto a cooling rack.

To make the frosting, simply combine all the ingredients and mix with an electric beater until smooth.

Cover cake with frosting once the cake is completely cooled.  Sprinkle with walnuts. 

Tips

• Make sure the butter is softened otherwise your icing won't be smooth.
• I always leave eggs out before use so they are at room temperature.
• The mixture will look very carrot-y, (see picture above) but that is how it should be.
• Dress the cake with chopped walnuts.
• Best served cold and I think it is better the next day!

Happy Baking!