Helen Goh's Anzac cake

Name: Helen Goh's Anzac cake
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 100g rolled oats; 200ml canned coconut milk; 170g plain flour; 1¼ tsp baking powder; ¼ tsp baking soda; ¾ tsp salt; 120g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing tin; 100g soft brown sugar (light or dark); 100g golden syrup; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; icing sugar, to serve; whipped cream, to serve

Helen Goh

April 21, 2021

This crumble-topped loaf cake is inspired by Anzac biscuits.William Meppem

Time:1-2 hoursServes:8

I adore Anzac biscuits – the simple appeal of butter, golden syrup, oats, coconut – and am loath to mess with a classic. But I couldn't resist the idea of these ingredients combined in a cake and decided to put it to the test. I'm happy to say it worked a treat! The cake needs no adornment except for perhaps a light dusting of icing sugar and a sprig of rosemary (for remembrance) in the centre.

Ingredients

For the cake

100g rolled oats
200ml canned coconut milk
170g plain flour
1¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
120g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing tin
100g soft brown sugar (light or dark)
100g golden syrup
2 large eggs, at room temperature
icing sugar, to serve
whipped cream, to serve

For the topping

75g unsalted butter
95g soft, light brown sugar
95g dried shredded coconut
60ml cream
¼ tsp sea salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175C fan-forced (195C conventional). Grease and line a loaf tin (1kg capacity, approx. 20cm x 10cm) with baking paper, allowing an overhang on the sides to ease lifting the cake out when baked.
2. Place the oats in a food processor and pulse a few times to achieve an uneven texture – some fine and some more coarsely cut. Transfer to a bowl with the coconut milk, stir to combine, then allow to soak while you prepare the rest of the cake.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Set aside for the time being.
4. Combine the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the paddle attachment and blend on medium-high speed until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture will have the appearance of scrambled eggs at this stage, which is normal. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, then add the oats soaked in coconut milk. Beat on low speed until just combined, then add the sifted dry ingredients and mix a few seconds longer – it won't be completely incorporated yet.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish folding the batter with a rubber spatula, then scrape into the prepared loaf pan.
6. Place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
7. While the cake is baking, place all the ingredients for the topping in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients are combined. Once the cake is cooked, remove from the oven (keep the oven on) and gently spoon the topping mixture evenly over the surface of the cake. Return to the oven and bake for another 12-15 minutes until the topping is golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes before lifting the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Sieve over some icing sugar and serve with cool, whipped cream.
Find more of Helen Goh's recipes in the Good Food New Classics cookbook.
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