This cake has an enticing combination of tangy, bright lemon and irresistible chewy shredded coconut, made extra moist with plenty of coconut milk. It’s so much better than your regular chocolate cake.

I must confess that I didn’t make this myself. It was a surprising birthday gift from boyfriend who shuffled through all my recipe books to find something delectable which was compatible with the anorexic state of the fridge. So here’s the recipe;

Yield: 10 people          Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingrediant

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup canola oil

1 can of coconut milk

1/4 cup rice/soy milk

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

A few tablespoons confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Lightly grease your cake tin (approximately 8/10 inches)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, oil, coconut milk, rice/soy milk, lemon juice and zest and vanilla. Stir to combine.

In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the wet ingredients in batches, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the coconut

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until you can insert a knife into the cake and it comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let to cool for about 15 minutes. Then place a cutting board over the cake pan and gently flip it over to release the cake. I find that once it’s properly cooled, it will lift easily. Let it cool completely before dressing, cutting and eating. Enjoy!