Gluten-free coconut and strawberry sponge cake
serves / 8 prep / 7 hours 30 minutes cook / 35 minutes
Ingredients 270ml can coconut milk 3 eggs, separated
2 1⁄2 tbsp caster sugar 40g (1⁄4 cup) coconut sugar
1⁄2 tsp1 vanilla extract
70g ( ⁄2 cup) gluten-free cornflour
45g (1⁄4 cup) brown rice flour 3⁄4 tsp cream of tartar 1⁄2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tbsp fine desiccated coconut
250g strawberries, hulled, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1⁄2 tsp chia seeds
1⁄2 tsp vanilla bean paste Pure icing sugar, to dust
1. Chill can of coconut milk for 6 hours or until firm. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease and line base and side of a 6cmdeep, 20cm (base measurement) round cake pan.
2. Use electric beaters to beat egg whites in a bowl for 1 minute or until frothy. Combine caster sugar and 2 tbsp of the coconut sugar in a bowl. Add sugar mixture to egg whites, 1 tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat for 2 minutes or until tripled in volume. Add yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla until just combined. Sift flours, cream of tartar and bicarb into a bowl. Sift flour mixture over egg mixture. Add desiccated coconut. Gently fold in dry ingredients until just combined. Spoon into prepared pan. Smooth surface. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until cake is firm and springs back when lightly touched. Cover with a tea towel. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Turn on to a wire rack. Cover with tea towel. Cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, combine the strawberry, lemon juice and remaining coconut sugar in a saucepan. Stand for 5 minutes. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until strawberry breaks down. Stir in chia seeds for 2 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a bowl. Cool for 30 minutes. Chill for 30 minutes until cooled completely and thick.
4. Remove coconut milk from fridge. Carefully open. Spoon solidified coconut milk from surface into a glass bowl. Reserve liquid for another use. Use a balloon whisk to whisk solidified coconut milk and vanilla until thick.
5. Slice cake in half horizontally. Spread with coconut cream. Top with strawberry mixture. Sandwich with cake top. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.