Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Pineapple and Coconut Sandwich Cake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
50 minutes
30 minutes
2 hours 15 minutes
Serves:
One 8-inch two-layer sandwich cake, 10–12 slices
Sophie created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 8. The fresh pineapple is pressed dry before it goes into the batter, so the fruit flavour concentrates and comes through the crumb without leaving wet seams. Fresh coconut, blitzed coarse rather than shredded fine, gives the plain creamed...
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Ingredients
FOR THE PINEAPPLE AND COCONUT: 1 medium fresh pineapple (yields well over what is needed; reserve the trim) 1 cup fresh coconut flesh, brown husk pared away (about half a mature coconut)
FOR THE SPONGE: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup caster sugar 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1¾ cups self-rising flour (or all-purpose flour plus 2¼ tsp baking powder and ½ tsp salt) 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp fine salt
FOR THE COCONUT ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM: 1¼ cups granulated sugar ⅓ cup water 4 large egg whites, at room temperature ⅛ tsp cream of tartar 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cubed 3 Tbsp coconut cream (the thick layer from a chilled can of full-fat coconut milk) ½ tsp coconut extract, optional, to reinforce Pinch fine salt
TO FINISH: 3 thin pineapple discs, cut from the base of the fruit, for the 'flower' 2 Tbsp reserved fresh coconut, lightly toasted
EQUIPMENT: Two 8-inch round cake pans
food processor
fine sieve
wire rack
piping bag fitted with a star tip
Method
STEP 1: PREPARE THE PINEAPPLE
Cut three thin discs from the base of the pineapple, pat them dry and set them aside for the decoration. Peel and core the rest and cut it into small chunks. Weigh out 5¼ oz (150 g) of chunks for the batter, press them gently in a fine sieve to release the free juice, then blot thoroughly on paper towels. Press, do not crush the flesh to pulp — the fruit needs to be dry enough to keep juice out of the crumb while the pieces still hold their shape.
STEP 2: PREPARE THE COCONUT
Pare the brown husk from the coconut flesh and pulse it in a food processor to coarse, gravel-sized pieces — not a fine shred. Measure out 1 cup for the batter and reserve 2 tablespoons for toasting.
STEP 3: DRY THE PINEAPPLE FLOWER
Lay the three reserved pineapple discs on a parchment-lined tray and dry them in a 225°F oven for 45–60 minutes, turning once, until leathery and pliable. Press each one into a cup or muffin cavity and leave to set into a flower shape as it cools. This can be done a day ahead.
STEP 4: BAKE THE SPONGES
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round pans and line the bases with parchment. Beat the butter and caster sugar in a stand mixer until pale and fluffy, 4–5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, adding a tablespoon of the flour with each of the last three to stop the mixture splitting. Beat in the vanilla extract, then sift over the remaining flour and the salt and fold in gently by hand until just combined. Fold in the drained pineapple and the blitzed coconut; the batter should be thick enough to hold a ribbon briefly. Divide equally between the pans, level the tops and bake 25–30 minutes, until risen, golden and springy and a skewer comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
STEP 5: MAKE THE COCONUT ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
Put the granulated sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and heat gently to dissolve, then boil without stirring to 244°F (firm-ball) on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks. With the mixer running at medium, pour the hot syrup down the inside of the bowl in a thin steady stream, avoiding the whisk. Raise to high and whip 8–10 minutes, until the meringue is glossy, holds a firm peak and the bowl is no more than barely warm; it must be cool before the butter goes in. Add the butter a few cubes at a time on medium speed — the mixture will curdle and look broken partway through, so keep beating and it will come back silky. Beat in the coconut cream, the coconut extract if using, and the salt.
STEP 6: ASSEMBLE AND FINISH
Level the sponges if domed. Set one layer on the serving plate and spread or pipe a generous, even layer of buttercream over it, then top with the second sponge. Cover the top with buttercream and pipe a neat border with a star tip, working slowly so the rosettes stay uniform. Set the dried pineapple flower at the centre, scatter the toasted coconut around it, and rest the cake 30 minutes before slicing so the buttercream firms.
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Instructions
FOR THE PINEAPPLE AND COCONUT:
1 medium fresh pineapple (yields well over what is needed; reserve the trim)
1 cup fresh coconut flesh, brown husk pared away (about half a mature coconut)
FOR THE SPONGE:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1¾ cups self-rising flour (or all-purpose flour plus 2¼ tsp baking powder and ½ tsp salt)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp fine salt
FOR THE COCONUT ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM:
1¼ cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
⅛ tsp cream of tartar
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cubed
3 Tbsp coconut cream (the thick layer from a chilled can of full-fat coconut milk)
½ tsp coconut extract, optional, to reinforce
Pinch fine salt
TO FINISH:
3 thin pineapple discs, cut from the base of the fruit, for the 'flower'
2 Tbsp reserved fresh coconut, lightly toasted
EQUIPMENT:
Two 8-inch round cake pans, stand mixer, food processor, fine sieve, candy thermometer, wire rack, piping bag fitted with a star tip
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: PREPARE THE PINEAPPLE
Cut three thin discs from the base of the pineapple, pat them dry and set them aside for the decoration. Peel and core the rest and cut it into small chunks. Weigh out 5¼ oz (150 g) of chunks for the batter, press them gently in a fine sieve to release the free juice, then blot thoroughly on paper towels. Press, do not crush the flesh to pulp — the fruit needs to be dry enough to keep juice out of the crumb while the pieces still hold their shape.
STEP 2: PREPARE THE COCONUT
Pare the brown husk from the coconut flesh and pulse it in a food processor to coarse, gravel-sized pieces — not a fine shred. Measure out 1 cup for the batter and reserve 2 tablespoons for toasting.
STEP 3: DRY THE PINEAPPLE FLOWER
Lay the three reserved pineapple discs on a parchment-lined tray and dry them in a 225°F oven for 45–60 minutes, turning once, until leathery and pliable. Press each one into a cup or muffin cavity and leave to set into a flower shape as it cools. This can be done a day ahead.
STEP 4: BAKE THE SPONGES
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round pans and line the bases with parchment. Beat the butter and caster sugar in a stand mixer until pale and fluffy, 4–5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, adding a tablespoon of the flour with each of the last three to stop the mixture splitting. Beat in the vanilla extract, then sift over the remaining flour and the salt and fold in gently by hand until just combined. Fold in the drained pineapple and the blitzed coconut; the batter should be thick enough to hold a ribbon briefly. Divide equally between the pans, level the tops and bake 25–30 minutes, until risen, golden and springy and a skewer comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
STEP 5: MAKE THE COCONUT ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
Put the granulated sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and heat gently to dissolve, then boil without stirring to 244°F (firm-ball) on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks. With the mixer running at medium, pour the hot syrup down the inside of the bowl in a thin steady stream, avoiding the whisk. Raise to high and whip 8–10 minutes, until the meringue is glossy, holds a firm peak and the bowl is no more than barely warm; it must be cool before the butter goes in. Add the butter a few cubes at a time on medium speed — the mixture will curdle and look broken partway through, so keep beating and it will come back silky. Beat in the coconut cream, the coconut extract if using, and the salt.
STEP 6: ASSEMBLE AND FINISH
Level the sponges if domed. Set one layer on the serving plate and spread or pipe a generous, even layer of buttercream over it, then top with the second sponge. Cover the top with buttercream and pipe a neat border with a star tip, working slowly so the rosettes stay uniform. Set the dried pineapple flower at the centre, scatter the toasted coconut around it, and rest the cake 30 minutes before slicing so the buttercream firms.
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