Tuesday 12 March 2013

༄ zest for life

we love the taste of fresh coconut
getting the white stuff from the shell 
 really is worth the effort!
the water is refreshing and so so
good for you too

coconut sponge cake and macaroons
are standard bakes for tropical loveliness
but we fancied something different
so I added and tweaked an old recipe!
lemon & coconut polenta cake
you will need ....

50g shredded coconut
50g polenta {finemeal quick cook}
50g ground almonds
125g softened butter
125g caster sugar
half a teaspoon baking powder
*or gluten free alternative
2 eggs {lightly beaten}
grated zest of a lemon

for the syrup ....
2 tablespoons caster sugar
juice of a lemon

heat the oven to 170c/ gas 4
line a 20cm cake tin with greaseproof paper
in a large bowl 
cream together the butter and sugar until
light and fluffy
add the beaten eggs a little at a time
now add the coconut, polenta, baking powder,
lemon zest and almonds
fold through and dollop into the prepared tin
smooth the top, put in the oven and
bake for 40-50minutes or until golden
and firm to touch

while the cake is cooking
mix together the lemon juice and sugar

when the cake is cooked
 put the tin onto a cooling rack
prick all over with a skewer
and drizzle on the syrup
sprinkle with fresh coconut 
and leave to cool completely in the tin
cut into slices and enjoy!