Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Coconut Loaf Cake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
30 mins
55 - 65 mins
2 hours 30 minutes (including cooling and assembly)
Serves:
1 loaf cake (serves 8-10)
This recipe recreates the essence of Nellie's family favorite - a soft coconut sponge with piped pineapple jam and coconut ganache that impressed Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood on The Great British Baking Show ™.
Tips for Success
Room temperature ingredients: Ensure butter, eggs, and coconut milk are at room temperature for best mixing
Don't overmix: Fold ingredients gently to maintain a light, tender crumb
Check doneness: The cake should spring back when lightly touched and pull slightly from sides of pan
Cooling is crucial: Cake must be completely cool before slicing and filling to prevent melting
Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week
Serving Suggestion
Serve sliced with a cup of tea or coffee. The cake is described by the judges as having a "pudding-like" texture - soft, moist, and incredibly indulgent. Each slice delivers coconut sponge with bursts of tangy pineapple and creamy coconut ganache.
Ingredients
175g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
150g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
200g (1 1/2 cups) self-rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
75g (3/4 cup) desiccated coconut
120ml (1/2 cup) canned coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coconut extract (optional)
PINEAPPLE JAM FILLING
400g (2 cups) fresh pineapple, finely chopped (or 1 can crushed pineapple, drained)
75g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
COCONUT GANACHE
200g (7oz) white chocolate chips
100ml (1/3 cup) heavy cream
50ml (3 tbsp) coconut cream (from chilled can)
1/2 tsp coconut extract
25g (1/4 cup) desiccated coconut for sprinkling
Instructions
CAKE
Prepare: Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment paper.
Make batter: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix coconut milk, vanilla, and coconut extract in another bowl.
Fold: Alternately add dry ingredients and coconut milk mixture to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in desiccated coconut until just combined.
Bake: Pour into prepared tin and bake for 55-65 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool: Cool in tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
PINEAPPLE JAM FILLING
Cook: Combine pineapple, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Simmer: Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and loses its cloudy appearance (8-10 minutes).
Finish: Remove from heat, stir in butter until melted. Cool completely before using.
COCONUT GANACHE
Prepare chocolate: Place chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
Heat cream: Warm heavy cream in a small saucepan until just simmering (don't boil).
Make ganache: Pour hot cream over chocolate, let sit 2 minutes, then stir from center outward until smooth.
Add coconut: Stir in coconut cream and coconut extract. Let cool for 15 minutes until spreadable consistency.
ASSEMBLY
Slice: Once cake is completely cool, carefully slice horizontally in half using a long serrated knife.
Fill: Spread pineapple jam evenly over the bottom half of the cake.
Stack: Place top half back on, pressing gently to secure.
Ganache: Pour coconut ganache over the top, allowing it to drizzle down the sides.
Finish: Sprinkle with desiccated coconut while ganache is still soft.
Set: Let sit for 30 minutes before slicing to allow ganache to set.
Tell us about your experience of this site
Did you try out this recipe? Do you need some questions answering? Please, tell us what you need and we'll hurry to help.