Berries, coconut and almond are three ingredients that most people seem to like. Combine them as we have done in our Berry, Almond and Coconut Cake and you have a sure winner on your hands.
Recently I served it at a lovely family get-together where the ages ranged from a very respectable ninety years to the enviable teens. Everyone gave the cake the thumbs up. Well, the ninety year old didn’t but she did say it was “very nice, dear”.
I’ve made it variously with blueberries, raspberries and strawberries and can’t say which I preferred the most. All were, well, very nice. So choose your gathering and your berry and give our Berry, Almond and Coconut Cake a go.
Caren
BERRY, ALMOND AND COCONUT CAKE
Serves 8-10
180 gm ground almonds
60 gm fine desiccated coconut
230 gm caster sugar
75 gm Revenge Gluten-free Plain Flour Mix
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
4 eggs (60gm eggs on average)
200 gm unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 lemon, zest only
125 gm fresh raspberries or blueberries, or fresh, hulled strawberries cut into pieces
25 gm shaved coconut
Whipped cream optional
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the sides and base of a 22cm cake tin.
Combine the almonds, desiccated coconut, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
In an electric mixer whisk the eggs lightly. Add the cooled butter, vanilla and lemon zest and whisk until combined.
Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and fold to combine. Fold in 100gm of the berries and pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Scatter over the remaining berries and the shaved coconut.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If the top is turning too brown then cover the cake loosely with a piece of foil.
Remove from the oven and set aside for 20 minutes before turning the cake out then inverting onto a cooling rack so the top side is up.
Allow to cool for at least another 20 minutes before transferring to a serving plate. Serve as is or with cream as a dessert.
Will keep well for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
Alternatively, the recipe can be baked in small cake tins or as large cup cakes:
Bake 3-4 small tins for 40-45 minutes.
Bake 8 large cupcake papers set in a muffin pan for 30-35 minutes.