Jun 25, 2014

Coconut cake with a cocoa heart


Simple, nutty and delightful cake that communicates well with all the juicy Summer fruits around... or an espresso. 











Coconut cake with a cocoa heart
adapted from Giallo Zafferano
time: 20 min preparation / 50 min baking / 15 min cooling

ingredients
190 g (1 1/2 stick) butter, diced, room temperature
150 g (3/4 cup) sugar
3 egg, room temperature 
150 ml (2/3 cup) milk, I used almond
80 g (3 oz) dry coconut flakes or coconut-hazelnut mix*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
660 ml (2 1/3 cup) flour, I used 165 g (1 1/2 cup) whole rye flour and 125 g (1/2+1/3 cup) regular flour
8 g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
4 g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
pinch of salt
20 g (2 Tablespoons) cocoa powder
almond (or coconut) flakes and brown sugar for finishing

instructions
Preheat oven to 150C/300F (fan forced). Line a standard 28cm/11cm loaf form with parchment paper. To line a form: I cut a piece of paper larger than the form, crush it between my hands, soak it under water, squeeze the water out, shake (gently) the paper to open and line the form.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour(s) baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another medium bowl, soak coconut in milk.

Using your standing mixer equipped with a whisk attachment beat butter with sugar till creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, one at the time and vanilla. Change attachment to paddle, add coconut/milk then flour mix, just till combined.

Take 100 g (3 1/2 oz) of the batter and incorporate it with cocoa powder. Make a cocoa bar (as long as your baking form) and place on a piece of parchment paper and then in the hot oven for 5 minutes. It does not have to completely baked. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile...spread half of the remaining batter on the bottom of your lined form. Place baked cocoa dough on top and then cover it with the rest of the coconut mass. Drop almond flakes and a couple of pinches of sugar on top and set the loaf in the hot oven for 50 minutes till the toothpick from the middle comes out dry. Remove from the heat, let it sit in the form for 15 minutes to cool and set.

NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES
  • * I didn't have enough coconut flakes so I mixed 2 oz (55 g) coconut with 1 oz (25 g) hazelnut meal;
  • I cut sugar amount by 25% and baking powder by 50%;
  • the cake turned out very tasty and pleasant; there is a subtle coconut and hazelnut flavor; 
  • it's light, crumbly, on a dry side but buttery;
  • the heart is denser with a definite cocoa kick;
  • in the original recipe, the batters (both, dark and light) where a lot more liquid; the cocoa heart had to baked in the loaf form to have some shape.

35 comments:

  1. What a "sweet heart!" Lovely snapshots of what I bet was one amazing cake!

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  2. Omg love the pictures and the chocolate middle! Such a great idea :)

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  3. How fun! This looks like the perfect type of cake to go with my cup of coffee or tea!

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  4. What a beautiful cake!I can imagine how taasteful it must be!
    Have a lovely day,dear Ela!

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  5. Anonymous6/26/2014

    Flavorful cake:)

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  6. Boom... Looks delish. :)

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  7. Love anything with coconut! This looks scrumptious.

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  8. Wow, Ela, absolutely gorgeous!

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  9. Beautiful food styling, Ela! And the chocolate surprise in the coconut cake looks wonderful and delicious!

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  10. I Ela, this is beautiful, great pics!

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  11. Love the cocoa in the middle and I'm a huge coconut fan. Looks delicious!

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  12. Who does not like a cake with heart, especially one with chocolate :-) Beautiful pics and the flower is so pretty.

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  13. What a beautiful cake, Ela. Sometimes I think my heart is made from chocolate also :) This would be delicious!

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  14. Marvelous! A cake which I'd love to enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  15. Well you really win my heart with this cocoa heart! Love this!

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  16. Wow!! This looks amazing! So delicious, healthy and fresh! That cocoa surprise inside?! YUM! So fun!

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  17. This coconut cake looks so delicious Ela and I love the cocoa surprise !

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  18. Beautiful styling and photo; Surprise comes later..in form of cocoa hart!

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  19. Love the cocoa heart - it looks adorable! I am a big coconut fan too and would love a slice of this pretty cake with my tea :)

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  20. That's a beautiful cake! I love the cocoa heart.

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  21. This looks so good, brilliant idea.

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  22. What a beautiful cake, Ela. Your photography is always so beautiful...I love how you presented this cake.

    Have a lovely weekend ahead dear friend.

    Toodles,
    Tammy<3

    P.S.
    When you mentioned you weren't receiving our updates, do you mean on Google+ or Email? ...We are currently transferring our blog over to WP and making it a website, this could be the cause behind the update glitch.

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  23. That last photo is lovely - they all are. What a tasty cake with a secret in the middle!

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  24. I love that your coconut cake has a chocolate heart...what a delicious surprise. And such lovely photos!

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  25. Loving that cocoa heart center! Looks wonderful.

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  26. What a beautiful cake and the hidden chocolate surprise is wonderful, bet it tasted divine.

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  27. What a GORGEOUS cake! love the photographs.. :)

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  28. Coconut and chocolate are one of the best flavor combos - this cake looks so beautiful!

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  29. So delicious cake!! Love its combination and I think this may be work as a gift idea for wedding day party. Thanks for sharing this post.

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  30. With a cocoa heart, that is lovely! The cake looks so good!

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  31. Adorable! And it sounds delicious too!

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  32. The cocoa center looks incredible! Can't wait to try it and with some coffee, this seems delectable! :D

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