Coconut, Almond and Courgette Cake

This is another cake based on one from Red Velvet and Chocolate Heartache. I believe I may have already mentioned that whilst the recipes are good, I have a distinct antipathy towards the style of the book.

This is a minor variation on the Coconut Cake recipe, mainly inspired by not having quite enough dessicated coconut left in the cupboard.

Recipe for Coconut, Almond and Courgette Cake

• 250g finely grated Courgette - don't bother peeling it unless your courgette is so big it's nearly a marrow and the peel has toughened. The peel will leave nice green flecks in the cake.
• 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
• 150g dessicated Coconut
• 50g ground Almonds
• 120g Rice Flour
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
• pinch Salt
• 180g Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• Jam to fill the cake
• 3 tbsp Coconut Milk powder
• 3 tbsp icing Sugar
• a little warm Water

Grease a pair of ~18cm diameter sandwich cake tins and line the bottoms with greased greaseproof paper. Preheat oven to 160C.

Combine the grated courgette and vanilla extract in a bowl.

Measure the coconut, almonds, rice flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt into a food processor and blitz for a several minutes to grind down the coconut and almonds to a finer powder. The mixture will clump a bit as the oils come out as they grind down. Sieve the processed clumpy powder into a bowl. Tip any last few bits that aren't fine enough to go through the sieve into the bowl anyway.

Measure the sugar and eggs into a third bowl and whisk with an electric mixer continuously for 4 minutes or so until very thick, pale and creamy.

Fold the vanilla courgette mixture into the egg mixture thoroughly. Then fold the coconut flour mixture into the egg mixture until it is all well combined.

Divide the mixture between the two tins, ensuring that it is spread out evenly in each tin.

Bake at 160C for ~45 mins until the tops are brown and the sides of the cakes have pulled away from the sides of the tin.

Run a spatula or palette knife round the sides of the cakes to loosen them from the tins and turn out onto a wire cooling rack. Carefully peel off the greaseproof paper and leave them to cool.

Sandwich the cooled cakes with plenty of jam and put the cake onto a serving plate.

Combine the icing sugar and coconut milk powder with just enough warm water to make a small amount of spreadable icing. Spread the icing over the top of the cake to glaze.


Categories: Gluten Free Cake