There's something absolutely dreamy about a moist cake. And one that is swimming in the flavor of coconut and topped with a tangy fruit salsa is enough to make you feel like winter's gone for good, even if this is the time of the year when one day can bring shorts weather and the next a blizzard.
You can find cream of coconut and coconut rum in the liquor department of most grocery stores. You won't use all of either of them ... so welcome spring with some pina coladas too! The fresh fruit might seem like a lot to prepare, but consider taking advantage of freshly cut fruit from the deli or produce section of your grocery store. If there's more than you need, enjoy it out of hand -- fruit is good for you!!!
As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments in the discussion board using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!
Coconut Cake with Tropical Salsa
- Cooking spray
- 3 T. sugar
- 1 1/2 c. cake flour
- 1 c. coconut, toasted and processed until fine in a food processor
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 c. butter
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 c. skim milk
- 1/2 c. cream of coconut
- 1/4 c. coconut rum
- 1/2 c. halved strawberries
- 1/2 c. diced pineapple
- 1/2 c. mandarin oranges, drained
- 1/2 c. diced kiwi
- 2 T. lime juice
- 1 T. powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and coat lightly with the 3 tablespoons of sugar. Throw away any sugar that does not stick to the pan. Set the prepared pan aside.
Combine the flour, toasted coconut, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk gently to combine.
Cream the butter, sugar and egg in a large bowl with a mixer on high speed. Combine the skim milk, cream of coconut and coconut rum in another container. Add the flour and rum mixtures alternately to the egg mixture until a moist batter forms. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 35 minutes. Then turn the cake to promote even baking and bake an additional 30 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
While the cake cools, Combine the remaining ingredients to make a tangy fruit salsa. Serve slices of cake with the salsa.
- Yields: 8-10 servings
- Preparation Time: 90 minutes