Molasses and coconut rum cake with vanilla and coconut icing

Name: Molasses and coconut rum cake with vanilla and coconut icing
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: South American
Ingredients: 100g molasses or black treacle; 100g dark brown sugar; 2 tsp ground ginger; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 100g unsalted butter; 50g coconut milk; 2 eggs, 60g each; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 100g desiccated coconut; 150g strong bread flour; 2 tsp baking powder; dark rum to finish

Dan Lepard

April 23, 2018

Time:1-2 hoursServes:4-6

A generous glug of dark rum turns the texture of this dark coconut cake extra moist and sticky, perfect to eat on its own without icing. But if you want to glam it up, ultra-white vanilla icing will make it dazzle on your table for friends.

Ingredients

100g molasses or black treacle
100g dark brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
100g unsalted butter
50g coconut milk
2 eggs, 60g each
2 tsp vanilla extract
100g desiccated coconut
150g strong bread flour
2 tsp baking powder
dark rum to finish

Vanilla bean and coconut icing (optional)

150g icing sugar
coconut milk to make it spoonable (about 1 to 2 tbsp)
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
sweetened coconut flakes, to decorate

Method

Step 1
Line the base and sides of a medium loaf tin with non-stick baking paper and heat the oven to 180C (160C fan-forced).
Step 2
Put the molasses in a saucepan with the sugar, ginger and cinnamon and warm until any lumps in the sugar soften and the mixture is smooth, but not boiling. Pour this into a mixing bowl, add the butter and stir until it melts.
Step 3
Beat in the coconut milk followed by the eggs and vanilla, then stir in the coconut. Sift together the flour and baking powder then stir these through.
Step 4
Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for about 50 minutes, or until firm in the middle. Remove from the oven and leave to cool then generously slosh some rum over the top and leave it to soak in.
Step 5
While the cake cools, put the icing sugar in a small bowl and stir in enough coconut milk, a little at a time, to make a smooth, thick icing. Beat in the vanilla paste. When the cake is cold, spread on the icing, sprinkle with coconut flakes and leave to set before slicing.