Small Coconut Cake

 

My sister loves coconut cake.  I wanted to try out a few recipes before her birthday in July so that I can make her a coconut cake that she will really enjoy. This was the first one I have tried and it is a winner in my  books!

I adapted this delicious recipe from one that I found on Dessert for Two with just a few small changes. I found it to be an excellent cake and just the right size for the smaller family, cutting into four slices, and that is how many of us there are when we are together. Just four. So no waste or leftovers to deal with.

This is a coconut cake with WOWZA flavors. It gets a real whammy of coconut flavors from the use of a bit of coconut oil in the batter along with coconut extract and some coconut milk.  Grated coconut adds an extra bit of texture and even more coconut flavor!

I am usually not overly fond of cream cheese icing. (Yes I am one of those odd ducks!)  This cake does have a cream cheese butter cream frosting, but it is not overwhelmingly cheesy, if you know what I mean. It just tasted rich and sweet.  I am not a real frosting lover anyways. I much prefer a glaze, but this coconut frosting went well with this cake!

You will need a six-inch round cake pan that is at least 2 inches deep. They aren't hard to find. I actually have two of them. They are great for making small batch layer cakes, or a single small batch cake such as this delicious one!  I highly recommend getting one if you are a small batch kitchen!  I bought mine on Amazon.  It wasn't too expensive either.

I sent half the cake over to my sister's as I thought my dad might like a piece with his supper and she might like to try one as well. My brother in law is not one much for sweets unless it is a special occasion.  This cake, however, is a special occasion in and of itself!  I highly recommend this cake recipe if you are looking for a smaller coconut cake to bake! You can't go wrong with this one!  My sister and father loved it!
 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SMALL COCONUT CAKE

A few very simple baking cupboard standard ingredients. I did have to look hard for the coconut because the sweet flaked coconut is not that easy to find here, but I did eventually find it at the health food store.

For the cake:

• 4 TBS (57g) butter, at room temperature
• 2 TBS (27g) coconut oil, room temperature (I used organic)
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar (I used unbleached organic)
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract
• 1 large free range egg
• 3/4 cup (96g) plain all purpose flour
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup (48g) sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup (60ml) canned coconut milk (well shaken)

For the frosting:

• 3 ounces (85g) full fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 TBS (14g) coconut oil, room temperature
• 1 TBS (14g) butter, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp coconut extract
• 2 cups (260g) icing sugar
• 1/3 cup (30g) sweetened flaked coconut (more or less to taste)

I use the PC brand organic natural coconut oil. It comes in a jar and is nice and soft at room temperature.  My butter is salted butter.

I use the Kirkland organic sugar, which has not been bleached and is a pale brown, natural  color.

My flour is regular all purpose plain flour. Again I use organic, unbleached.

Free range eggs are not necessary but a choice I make as I am unwilling to support the industry of caged hens for laying eggs.  You do you.

I found my coconut at the local health food store. It is lovely and moist, very like the angel flake coconut that you can purchase in the U.S.

I used full fat coconut milk, NOT coconut cream. Do shake the can well before pouring it out so that it is well mixed together.

I used full fat Philadelphia cream cheese.

Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature and you can't go wrong!

 

HOW TO MAKE SMALL COCONUT CAKE

This uses the one bowl method. Everything for the cake gets beaten together in one bowl.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a six inch layer tin and line the bottom with some baking parchment. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, whisk the butter, coconut oil and sugar together until nice and creamy. Beat in the coconut extract and the egg.

Sift the flour, soda and salt together. Stir in the coconut flakes. Sprinkle over top of the creamed mixture. Beat together while slowly adding the coconut milk. Beat unto thoroughly mixed. Do NOT overbeat.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 38 to 40 minutes until risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes on a wire rack before tipping out onto the rack and removing the paper. Allow to cool completely before proceeding.

 

Beat the butter. cream cheese and coconut oil for the frosting together with the coconut extract until well combined.

Tip in the icing sugar and continue to beat. It may look like it will never come together, resembling crumbs at first, but persevere, it will all of a sudden become smooth and creamy.

Spread the frosting over the sides and top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with the coconut. Cut into wedges to serve.

 

This was a lovely cake with a moist and dense texture and beautiful coconut flavors.  It was not quite s white as some coconut cakes, but that is because I used all natural ingredients, including the sugar, which had not been bleached but was a golden color.

I would call this an excellent cake. It would be lovely served with some fresh berries. It would also make a great celebration cake for the smaller family!  I highly recommend!

 

As a single person living on their own I have small batch baked many cake recipes.  Here are some of my favorites that you might also enjoy.  Even if you are not a small family, they will give you just enough cake for one meal without any leftovers around to tempt you!

7-UP SHEET CAKE -This smaller sized cake has a dense pound-cake like texture and the flavor is really intense. You get the pop from the 7-Up (lemonade) and lemon and lime zests are used liberally in both the cake and the frosting. Expect fresh and zesty!! Sweet and buttery!! Dense and delicious!! This cake does not disappoint on any level. This cake cuts into 6-8 servings.

SMALL BATCH GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH LEMON CREAM- This small batch gingerbread recipe lacks none of the deliciousness of the full batched version. It has a beautiful dense and moist crumb and loads of spicy flavor.  The delicious lemon cream is the perfect accompaniment. Lemon and Ginger are beautiful partners. A marriage made in heaven.

Yield: one 6-inch cake

Author: Marie Rayner

Small Coconut Cake

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min

A tasty coconut cake that is smaller sized for the smaller family. Recipe cuts into 4 nice servings. It is moist and delicious, and boasts a fabulous coconut cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 4 TBS (57g) butter, at room temperature
• 2 TBS (27g) coconut oil, room temperature (I used organic)
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar (I used unbleached organic)
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract
• 1 large free range egg
• 3/4 cup (96g) plain all purpose flour
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup (48g) sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup (60ml) canned coconut milk (well shaken)

For the frosting:

• 3 ounces (85g) full fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 TBS (14g) coconut oil, room temperature
• 1 TBS (14g) butter, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp coconut extract
• 2 cups (260g) icing sugar
• 1/3 cup (30g) sweetened flaked coconut (more or less to taste)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a six inch layer tin and line the bottom with some baking parchment. Set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, whisk the butter, coconut oil and sugar together until nice and creamy. Beat in the coconut extract and the egg.
3. Sift the flour, soda and salt together. Stir in the coconut flakes. Sprinkle over top of the creamed mixture. Beat together while slowly adding the coconut milk. Beat unto thoroughly mixed. Do NOT overbeat.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing over the top.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 38 to 40 minutes until risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes on a wire rack before tipping out onto the rack and removing the paper. Allow to cool completely before proceeding.
7. Beat the butter. cream cheese and coconut oil for the frosting together with the coconut extract until well combined.
8. Tip in the icing sugar and continue to beat. It may look like it will never come together, resembling crumbs at first, but persevere, it will all of a sudden become smooth and creamy.
9. Spread the frosting over the sides and top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with the coconut. Cut into wedges to serve.

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