ESSENTIAL RECIPES- DESSERTS
TOASTED COCONUT CAKE
By Colette Maclennan @ thegeneralstore _ sa
Extract from The General Store, Dressed & Seasoned by Colette Maclennan, published by Quivertree Publications, retailing at R650.
This recipe came to us via another iconic London café and bookstore called Books for Cooks, which published its own series of cookbooks. Jess, who worked there for a few years, bought me a set of the books as a gift, and this cake has been my favourite ever since. I made it for my daughter’ s first – and second – birthday party, and it continues to steal the show every time it’ s on the counter at The General Store.
Serves: 10
INGREDIENTS
• 275g plain flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 275g butter, softened
• 300g castor sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 175ml milk
• 90g desiccated coconut
For the icing:
• 170g butter
• 500g cream cheese
• ½ lemon, zested
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
To garnish:
• 60g shaved coconut
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C. Grease and line two 22cm loose-bottomed cake tins.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt together in a bowl. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg and beat well, sprinkling in a tablespoon of the flour mixture to prevent curdling. Then add the remaining eggs one by one, beating very well between each addition to ensure they’ re combined and the batter does not split.
3. Add a third of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and gently beat together. Pour in a third of the milk and continue beating. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk alternately until everything is just combined. Using a spatula, gently fold in the desiccated coconut, leaving no trace of flour. 4. Divide the batter between the cake tins, spreading evenly with a spatula. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes in the tins, then turn the cakes out onto the rack and leave to cool completely.
5. To make the coconut garnish, turn the oven down to 160 ° C. Place the coconut shavings on a baking tray and toast for 2 – 4 minutes. Watch this closely as it burns very quickly. Set aside to cool.
6. To make the icing, beat the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 10 – 15 minutes or until very pale. Add the cream cheese and beat on a low speed until combined. Add the lemon zest and vanilla, then the sifted icing sugar, one spoonful at a time – tasting as you go. Depending on how sweet you want the icing, you might not need all the icing sugar.
7. To assemble the cake, place one sponge on a serving plate and spread evenly with half of the icing. Top with the other sponge and spread the rest of the icing evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut shavings.
did you know?
Toasting coconut completely transforms it. Heat activates the natural oils, deepening the flavour from mild & sweet to rich & nutty. Just watch it closely, as it goes from perfectly golden to burnt in a matter of seconds.
102 | Winter 2026 • essentialflavours. co. za