Friday, April 15, 2011

Lemon-Coconut Bundt Cake

IMG_0060

These last few posts, I’ve been sharing with you some of my old favorites.  But now it’s time for a new one.  My new favorite recipe.  My new best thing to make for any person or place of occasion.  My new obsession.  And the new obsession too of everyone who’s had a taste. 

IMG_0011

I first made this Lemon-Coconut Bundt cake about a month ago, for a casual week-night dinner gathering with a small group of our close friends.  Under normal circumstances, none of us in this group is especially gluttonous or greedy.  For the most part, we’re actually pretty well-mannered, kind of classy even.  But come dessert that night, all five of us turned straight into rude little ravenous pigs.  Each of us raced back to the cake again and again, slicing thicker and thicker slices with each return visit. Within a quarter hour, the cake had entirely disappeared!   

IMG_0016

IMG_0020

You can’t blame us though.  We were taken by surprise, completely disarmed by this pretty yet humble little confection.  Startled into forgetting all our manners. 

IMG_0021

Perhaps we had under-estimated how truly delicious a simple Bundt cake can be.  In fact, we surely did.  With hardly an embellishment to speak of  - no jam filling or glossy frosting or colorful sprinkles – just a light dusting of powdered sugar, this modest dessert seemed too plain to be exciting.  But with one single bite, we fully realized our mistake.  With one single bite, each of us knew for certain, this was one special cake.

IMG_0033

Bright with lemon, and with a smooth, full richness of sweet, creamy coconut, this surprising cake is buzzing with intense flavor.  The texture though is what makes it an instant and all-time favorite.  Inside the crisp outer layer of lemony-golden crust, the crumb is dense yet tender, delicate yet springy, and amazingly, utterly, impossibly moist.  Even though we’d collectively decided ages ago, that we unanimously hate the word ‘moist’ (It really is a horrible-sounding word, right?), we just couldn’t help ourselves.  Between ooh’s and ahh’s and more than a couple un-restrained moans of pleasure, that awful word kept popping up, over and over again.  Struck all but dumb by the luscious goodness, there was just nothing else we could possibly say! 

IMG_0048

And since, I’ve baked this cake three times again.  Once at the request of those very same friends who shared in the delight of it that first night.  Once for another group, who displayed the exact same happily astonished reaction. And once again, to snap these pictures, and then send Ben off to the office with a surprise treat for his co-workers. Each time I taste it, I’m amazed all over again by how extraordinarily delicious such an unassuming Bundt cake can be.

IMG_0029

I know I’ve ruined the twist ending of this little cake’s surprising story, and sorry about that.  But still, I give this dessert the biggest of recommendations.  Definitely, definitely try it.  Even after all my praise and adoration,  you’ll still undoubtedly be surprised by how good it is. 

Lemon-Coconut Bundt Cake
Adapted from Veganomicon by I. Moskowitz & T.H. Romero
Serves 10 to 12
 
IMG_0055
 
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil, plus more for greasing the pan
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
3 Tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
about 1 Tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling
 
Pre-heat the oven to 350 F and arrange a rack in the middle position of the oven.  Generously grease a 10-inch Bundt pan with vegetable oil, and set aside.
 
In a large mixing bowl, stir to combine the sugar, oil, coconut milk, water, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla.  In another mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, doing so in about three batches, and stirring after each addition.  Fold in the coconut. 
 
IMG_0049
 
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan.  Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a wooden tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.  Allow to cool for about 10 minutes on a wire rack.  To invert the cake, place the serving dish up-side-down over the top of the cake pan, then flip over and lift the pan from the cake.   Allow to cool completely.  Once cool, sift a pretty sprinkling of confectioners sugar over the top.  Slice and serve.   

IMG_0008

9 comments:

  1. I made my mom make this today. It was AMAZING!!! So moist! So sweet with the perfect amount of lemon. The coconut was delicious! Delicious work, Kate!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Awesome, Katie! Hope it secured a spot in your family's list of old favorites! It certainly has in mine :).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Made this for Easter brunch and loved it! I added a lemon glaze for an extra punch

    ReplyDelete
  4. I can't wait to eat this again!
    But we all know my baking skills are NOT anywhere close to yours!
    Your skills are moist. can I say that on here? hehe

    ReplyDelete
  5. Erin, my dear, just say the word, and I'll bake up this cake again, just for you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi. I baked your cake earlier today, mainly for my husband as his favourite happens to be coconut cake with lemon curd. This time your recipe seemed more appealing! :) It is also the first time I am using my bundt pan, cake came out intact but for the somewhat elevated bottom when I flip the cake onto cake plate. Do you have any tip for an even flat baking next time? I love the cake, it is amazingly refreshing and light! I was bit wary of the lack of eggs in the ingredient list, so I added one beaten egg to the batter. However I wish I hadn't reduced the sugar content as much, but then again, there will be a next time for this lovely cake :) Thanks for sharing & for the story as well. Cheers! Shema

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Shema. My first thought would be to place the battered-filled pan onto a flat baking sheet before placing it in the over, rather than balancing it on the wire oven racks. This should give you a more even base, if I'm understanding the situation correctly. Glad you hear you enjoyed the cake! And thanks. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Should there be eggs in this recipe??
    Making it tomorrow for a birthday!!

    ReplyDelete