Gluten Free Coconut Cake with Sugared Coconut Crust

Coconut Cake with Summer Fruit and Coconut Cream

Topped with Coconut Cream and a spoonful of seasonal fruit this is a wonderful dessert for a summer seaside luncheon: easy, light, delicious, and pretty. It can also be served with coconut ice cream and bittersweet chocolate sauce or warm with a little papaya or passion fruit jam for a weekend breakfast treat. Any way you slice it, if you like coconut cake, this will be an excellent addition to your repertoire.

Sugar Crusted Coconut Cake

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup (6 oz.) GF flour blend (yours, ours, or Trader Joe’s)

3/4 cup (6 oz.) sugar, plus a little more for dusting the pan

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon xantham gum

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 large organic eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup organic vegetable oil

1/2 cup organic buttermilk, room temperature

1/8 cup culinary coconut milk, room temperature. Refrigerate the rest in the bowl in which you’ll beat the coconut cream.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup (1.75 oz.) finely shredded unsweetened coconut, plus a little more for dusting the pan

Coconut oil to grease the pan

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F

2. Prepare a 9″ round cake pan by greasing the bottom and sides generously with coconut oil and dusting it evenly (bottom and sides) first with 1-2 tablespoons of finely shredded coconut and then with (a tablespoon) of sugar.

3. Combine the dry ingredients, excluding the shredded coconut, in a large mixing bowl, whisk to blend.

4. In a 2 cup glass measureing cup combine the oil, buttermilk, eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla and almond extracts, and whisk to blend.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to mix evenly, taking care not to over beat the batter.

6. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350F for 25 minutes, or until the top lightly browns and the cake just begins to pull away from the sides.

7. Let cool for 24 – 30 minutes and run a knife around the edges before turning onto a serving plate. The cake should release fairly easily, but the pan may need a firm bop.

8. When ready to serve, remove the chilled bowl and coconut milk from the refrigerator and beat the milk until it starts to hold shape, creating soft peaks. Sweeten with a little honey or confectioners sugar and flavor with a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Note: the cream can be whipped in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Slice the cake into wedges and serve with cream and cut fruit. The cake will last well wrapped for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. It’s best served slightly warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!