Well, we have had plenty of showers this afternoon. Perfect baking weather. I just love being indoors and baking on a rainy afternoon! There's something really comforting about being in the house warm and dry, while the smell of something scrummy baking in the oven wafts through the air!
mmmmm . . .
Today I baked a Coconut & Lime Cake. It's a recipe that I clipped from the Good To Know Recipes magazine the other day when I was going through my old cooking mags. I couldn't begin to tell you what month it was from . . . but it must have been recently as the article is entitled Perk Up Your Picnic! (I'm trying to weed them out and let me tell you . . . for a cooking and recipe fanatic, it's a really difficult job to do . . . )
It's not exactly picnic weather today, but I have to say that some of my most favourite picnics have been held on a blanket in front of the electric fire on a rainy day.
It's fun to do that sometimes . . . just have a picnic where you are! You don't have to worry about bad weather . . . wasps or ants! And the company is always perfect.
This cake is rather scrummy . . . I think you would enjoy it even if you weren't on a picnic . . . but a picnic would make it even tastier . . . just sayin . . .
*Coconut & Lime Cake*
Makes one large loaf cake
Perfect picnic food. Moist and delicious with the flavours of lime and coconut!
175g butter, softened (3/4 cup)
3 large free range eggs, beaten
250g of sweetened condensed milk (scant 200ml or scant 3/5 cup)
(This is not evaporated milk, it's the sweet thick stuff)
40g of desiccated coconut (generous 1/2 cup)
the finely grated zest and juice of one lime
175g of self raising flour (generous 1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
For the drizzle icing:
the juice and zest of 1 lime
100g of icing sugar sifted (3/4 cup)
toasted flaked coconut to decorate
Preheat the oven to 170*C/ 325*F/ gas mark 3. Butter and base line a 2 pound loaf tin with wax or parchment paper. Set aside.
Place all of the cake ingredients in a bowl. Beat with a hand held electric whisk for several minutes, just until the batter is smooth and pale. Don't overdo it.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top over.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the tin, then lift out to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Once cold, whisk together the icing sugar, zest and lime juice to give you a smooth drizzable icin Drizzle this over the cake with a spoon and toss on the toasted coconut flakes. (To toast the coconut flakes, spread it onto a baking sheet and leave in the heat of the oven after you have removed the cake for about 5 to 8 minutes)
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