Coconut butter cake

The ultimate cuppa-time companion, this coconut cake — beloved by Andy Saunders and his family — is made with fresh orange juice and dessicated coconut. It is so often shared over stories and laughter that it’s earned the affectionate nickname “the Saunders Yarn Starter”. Light, sweet and impossible to stop at one slice!

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  8

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 300 g caster sugar
• 250 g butter, diced, softened
• 4 eggs
• 250 g self-raising flour
• ½ orange, juiced (or lemon)
• 70 g desiccated coconut (or freshly ground coconut)
• 50 g milk
• Icing sugar, berries, thick cream or ice-cream, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Grease and line a rectangular cake tin (20 cm x 30 cm) with baking paper.
2. Combine the sugar and butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds, or until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour and juice and beat for a further 20-30 seconds, followed by the coconut and milk, mixing for a final 20-30 seconds, or until just combined.
3. Transfer the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and invert onto a wire cooling rack.
4. Dust the cake with icing sugar, then serve with berries and cream or ice-cream.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.