13 April 2011

When the cake muse descends - Cherry & Coconut Loaf

Complete with sulking cherries
I have had the cake muse sitting quite firmly on my shoulder for some days now.  Each time I looked into the pantry cupboard and my eye lit upon the tub of glace cherries, she'd give my hair a little tug and say "See?  They're still there!".

So, inevitably, something had to be done.

I pondered on a cake involving lime - as I'd been sent a little booklet all about limes by Brazilian Fruit just recently.  That wouldn't do though, as it dawned on me that I'd included two dishes on the menu list that used lime (Spicy Chicken & Salad, plus Pork & Pepper Stir Fry), which would use up the two limes I had in.  Self-imposed rules about not shopping in between regular shopping trips meant I had no hope of replacing said limes, either.

I pondered on a cake utilizing Amaretto.  This seemed like a jolly good idea, to me.  Right up until I realised that we were out of ground almonds.  *sigh*  Self-imposed rules as above would apply in this case, too.

So that brought me back to the cause of all this cake fuss - the glace cherries.  During a visual sweep of the pantry cupboard, I noticed a bag of dessicated coconut - and the Cherry & Coconut idea was born.

I had previously used a recipe from Saint Delia, however often found that the cherries would lie sulking at the bottom of the cake mix, instead of being borne aloft like the little jewels that they were.  I had put this down to the fact that the cake mix always came up a little soft, so investigated other recipes and settled on the following incredibly easy one.  Suffice to say that even with a dusting of flour, the majority of the cherries still insisted on sitting sulking at the bottom (maybe I just buy sulky cherries?) but one or two had the right attitude and had taken off, to float cheerily towards the surface.  Hooray for them and their like!

CHERRY & COCONUT LOAF CAKE

Ingredients :

250g self-raising flour
175g butter, softened
175g caster sugar
3 medium eggs
2 tbsp milk (I used semi-skimmed)
150g glace cherries, a mix of halved and whole
60g dessicated coconut.

Method :

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 180degC/Gas mark 4.

2.  Sift the flour into a bowl and add the butter, sugar, eggs and milk and beat until creamy and smooth.

3.  Fold the cherries and coconut into the mixture.

4.  Spoon into a loaf tin that has been lined with baking paper and level the surface.

5.  Sprinkle with a little sugar and some coconut.

6.  Bake in the centre of the oven for some 45 mins to 1hr.  I would be inclined to check the cake after some 35 minutes and put a silver foil hat on it if the top appears to be well browned, as mine was just starting to catch at 45 minutes.

7.  If a skewer comes out clean, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes or so, before placing on a cooling rack and removing the baking paper.

All you have to do then, is count the hours until tea time!

.

9 comments:

  1. Oh! Jenny.....Made me laugh...!
    'Had a cake muse sitting quite firmly on my shoulder'. Well, when i read it first off, l read muse as mouse.....Oh! dear. :).
    Well, l is gonna go and make myself another lemon tea, and have another read through......
    Mouse or Muse.....? :).

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  2. It's no good, Mrs M, you're going to have to get yourself some non-sulky cherries and go to it! lol

    I quite like the idea of a cake mouse sitting on my shoulder, Willie! lol Now, where can I get one? :)

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  3. No problem Jenny. There's a little boy next door, he's got one that runs round and round in a wheel......
    Or is that a hamster.....Don't know....They all taste the same to me.....oooops! :)
    Yes, l love my cakes, but, l have to confess, l've never ever made one. I enjoy my cook'in etc. BUT.....
    I am fortunate though, that, several ladies, over the years, have made me cakes. And, a very dear friend of mine, for many years now, has always made me a birthday cake and a Christmas cake. Year in and year out. She used to be the main cook at Blandford Hospital. But, the death rate did drop, after she retired. (I always pull her leg about that).
    And, most Mondays, l'm up around Stur Newton. On the market there there's a bread man. So l always get a lardy cake there......Lovely.
    In fact they are in the Dolphin Centre on Thurs.
    But, my most favorite cake of all, is Christmas cake, and yes, l had three made for me, last Christmas. Took one up to my daughters, with two Staffy's and four cats, it did'nt last to long......! :0).

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  4. (Puts on a "Manuel from Fawlty Towers" accent) ... Nooooo, not a hamster! LOL Oooh now, lovely rich fruit cake - now you're talking. I think that's my most favourite cake of all, too. You can keep the icing and marzipan (although I do love marzipan, just not on a cake!), though. :)

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  5. Is there any left? Coz I'm so coming over.

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  6. There IS a bit left, but it's all going fast!

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  7. mmm yummy. One of my favorite recipes. Thanks for sharing this.

    Simon

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    Replies
    1. You're very welcome, Simon. If you make it, do come back and let me know what you think - good or bad. :D

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