This coconut cake recipe has been in Niki Louca’s family for decades. It is a cake her aunty Panayiota used to make often in years gone by, and one she hasn’t had for a long time.
The recipe is from a cookbook her aunt has had for many years by Sandra Lysandrou. Having visited her aunt over the weekend, she had made it and reminded Niki of old days.
Today, Niki from My Greek Kitchen shares the recipe with The Greek Herald readers. You can follow her on Instagram @mygreekkitchen for more!
Ingredients:
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil or light olive oil
- 1/6 cup cognac
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1 cup fine semolina
- 1 cup fine desiccated coconut
Syrup:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2-3 strips lemon rind
Method:
- In a stainless steel pot add all the syrup ingredients together and bring to a rapid boil and keep it on the heat for 2-3 minutes. Turn heat off and allow to fully cool down.
- Line a 23-24 cm baking tin with baking paper. Alternatively you can use a 28 cm pyrux – butter and flour it. Pre heat your oven to 170C, fan force.
- In a bowl sieve the flour and baking powder together and set aside.
- In a standalone mixer, add all the eggs and beat for a couple of minutes till well combined. Add the sugar, oil, and cognac in that order whilst the mixer is on the lowest speed.
- Next add the flour/baking powder mixture and again keep mixer on the lowest speed. Once done, stop the mixer and scrape the bowl making sure the flour is well combined. Then add the semolina, coconut and milk in three equal stages making sure each time they are well blended. Your mixture will be a rather runny consistency.
- Pour batter into your prepared tin and bake in a preheated oven for approximately 40-45 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and with a knife make multiple slits into the cake so the syrup can be absorbed.
- Pour the entire cooled syrup you prepared earlier and allow it to be fully absorbed. Let cake to cool in tin. Remove from tin and discard the baking paper, then place onto your platter. If you wish sprinkle some more coconut on top. Cake will keep moist up to 3 days. If you are using a Pyrex once cake is cooked, precut cake into diamond shapes, then pour syrup. Serve from the Pyrex.
Niki Louca runs cooking classes in Melbourne. For more or to book classes visit My Greek Kitchen at www.mygreekkitchen.com.au or Instagram @mygreekkitchen. You can email Niki at: niki@mygreekkitchen.com.au.
