The Recipe
Makes: 8 slices
Preparation: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 30-35 minutes
“To be honest, I am not the biggest fan of coconut and coconut cream can be a little challenging on my stomach, however, I always stop by the fresh coconut stall at the market that grates coconut to order.”
I have lived in Southeast Asia for a big chunk of my life and despite the time spent here, the markets throughout the region never ceases to amaze me.
From the variety of chillies in Thailand to the plethora of herbs and flowers in Cambodia, I see and learn every time I venture into the markets.
This is what I love about anything related to food, its constant journey of learning!
To be honest, I am not the biggest fan of coconut and coconut cream can be a little challenging on my stomach, however, I always stop by the fresh coconut stall at the market that grates coconut to order. I always purchase it and arrive home thinking, hmmm what do I do with this now??
Bake it, in a cake, with lime and drench it in gula Melaka caramel, and that is what I did.
Oh and you can read more about what GULA MELAKA IS HERE.
INGREDIENTS
Preparation time 15 minutes
Baking Time 30-35 minutes
Serves 8
Cake
225g unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
3 medium eggs
2 limes, zest and juice
1 tsp good vanilla extract
30mls coconut milk
225g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1.4 tsp salt
225g fresh coconut (or dried and rehydrated)
20g grated gula Melaka
METHOD
Preheat the oven to around 170’C and line a 20cm square cake tin (you can use a round one if you fancy)
Add butter and sugar into a large bowl and cream the two until nice and fluffy. Continue to beat in lime juice and zest, coconut milk, and vanilla extract.
Crack the eggs in a separate bowl and whisk gently, then add them to the buttery mixture
Once combined, ditch the mixture and grab a spatula to fold in sifted flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
Finally, add in the coconut milk and stir.
Place the batter in the lined cake tin and grate gula Melaka over the top.
Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, when a sharp knife is inserted in the centre, it should come out clean – meaning it is already!
Allow to cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a cooling tray.
This cake is quite crumbly, so allow it to cool completely before slicing it into squares.
Serve slices with good vanilla bean ice cream, berries, and gula Melaka caramel.
Gula Melaka Caramel
Never heard of gula Melaka? Read more about it here. If gula melaka is not available where you live, it can be substituted for brown sugar or coconut sugar.
225g gula Melaka
80mls cream or coconut milk
50g unsalted butter
Salt
1. Chop gula Melaka into small pieces
2. Place gula Melaka, with a tablespoon of water, heat until the gula melaka has melted and continue cooking until the mixture has slightly thickened.
3. Lower the heat and mix in salt, butter and cream or coconut milk
4. Stir until combined and heat until the caramel reaches to the desired consistency.
5. Drip generously over the cake.
