COCONUT CAKE WITH ORANGE LABNEH AND VANILLA FROSTING
This labneh frosting is one of my favorite toppings for a cake and can be flavoured to suit. It’s also delicious served with fruit for breakfast or as a base filling in a precooked tart case. It needs to be made one day ahead.
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup ground almonds (almond meal)
½ cup gluten-free plain flour ½ cup golden caster sugar pinch sea salt 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
200 grams butter, melted and cooled 3 large eggs, size 7 2 teaspoons rose water 1 teaspoon vanilla paste TO SERVE ½ cup flaked coconut, toasted 2 teaspoons dried rose petals, optional
Grease a 20cm cake tin and fully line with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
CAKE: Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the butter, eggs, rose water and vanilla. Pour onto the dry ingredients and stir to make a smooth batter, ensuring there are no hidden pockets of flour. Spoon into the cake tin and smooth the top.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until firm and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
TO ASSEMBLE: Spoon the labneh frosting over the cake and spread evenly. Top with the toasted coconut and rose petals if using. MAKES 1 CAKE.