Coconut Tea Cake

We won’t talk about how long ago I made this, instead let’s just enjoy the pretty pictures and talk about the end-product, yes? *   

This cake is dense and rich like a pound cake, but with a subtle tropical flavor from the coconut and rum.  The toasting of your coconut is imperative for this recipe, it gives it a more caramel-like flavor and a gives it a crispy-crunchy texture to what is usually chewy.  The flakes of coconut and the overall flavor is not overwhelming, so even if you are not fond of coconut you might want to give this a shot, it may surprise you.  You’ll love the buttery, nutty flavor of this cake. 

It’s a pity that I just took a few quick shots on a garishly orange plastic plate, before whisking it off to a book club meeting – it’s the type of cake that deserves much more, maybe the side of a pretty porcelain saucer to accompany your coffee or tea.  Ah, yes – that sounds pretty much perfect in fact.  I’m not a huge fan of pound cakes but for this recipe, I’ll make an exception.  

Coconut Tea Cake(from Dorie’s Bible)

Ingredients:

2 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder Pinch of kosher salt 1 c. canned unsweetened coconut milk 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces 4 large eggs, at room temperature 2 c. granulated sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 tsp. dark rum 3/4 c. shredded coconut (unsweetened, and toasted in the oven) 

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Butter a 10- to 12-c. Bundt pan.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan.  Add the butter and heat until the milk is hot and butter is melted.  Remove from the heat and set aside (you still want it to be warm when you add it, however).

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or hand mixer in a large bowl), beat the eggs and sugar at medium-high speed until pale, thick, and almost doubled in volume (about 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla and the rum.  Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest setting and add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and stopping just when the flour disappears.

Keeping the mixer on low, add the coconut, mixing only until it is blended, then steadily add the milk/butter mixture.  When the mixture is smooth, stop mixing and give the batter a couple of turns with a rubber spatula, just ot make certain that any dry ingredients that might have fallen to the bottom of the bowl are incorporated.  Pour the batter into the pan and give the pan a few back-and-forth shakes to even the batter.

Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a thin knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean.  Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool to room temperature.

* I, ah, made this when Peter was born.  And took pictures, then promptly forgot to blog about it.  Oops.  Those early baby days, they are a real killer on the short-term memory.