Author Lori Longbotham has penned a terrific book on coconut desserts. Who knew there was so much to know about coconut?
She gives valuable tips on selecting coconut milk, coconut cream, shredded dried coconut and coconut extract. You'll also learn how to toast coconut evenly.
So, if your mom is a coconut lover, why not bake her the cake and give her the book as her gift?
This Mother's Day treat has a triple dose of coconut. The cake includes coconut milk, shredded coconut and a final touch of coconut extract. Make sure to look for pure extract.
A ribbon of chocolate batter is swirled through the yellow cake. Select natural cocoa powder (cocoa that does not have an alkali added -- or is not "Dutched," as it is sometimes called).
Scharffen Berger and Dagoba both make an excellent natural cocoa powder; Hershey's makes both styles, which are available in any supermarket.
This luscious bundt cake is sure to steal the show. Serve this with a big bowl of strawberries for a fitting to finale to a holiday brunch.
Coconut and chocolate marble pound cake
Servings: 10 to 12
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons sugar, plus 2 cups
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup fresh or well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons pure coconut extract
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 F. Generously butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
2. Combine the 3 tablespoons sugar, the cocoa powder, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the baking soda.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large, deep bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the remaining 2 cups sugar and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture and the coconut milk alternately in three batches, beginning and ending with the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary and beating just until blended.
5. Add 1 cup of the batter to the cocoa mixture and whisk until blended. Whisk the coconut and coconut extract into the remaining batter. Spoon three-quarters of the coconut batter into the Bundt pan.
Spoon a ring of cocoa batter over the coconut batter, just in the center; do not spread it to the edges. Spoon the remaining coconut batter on top. With a long thin knife, gently swirl the batters to marbleize them.
6. Bake for 1 hour and 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack and cool completely. Dust with the confectioners' sugar and serve cut into slices.
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Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Holidays," and also a James Beard award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.
She gives valuable tips on selecting coconut milk, coconut cream, shredded dried coconut and coconut extract. You'll also learn how to toast coconut evenly.
So, if your mom is a coconut lover, why not bake her the cake and give her the book as her gift?
This Mother's Day treat has a triple dose of coconut. The cake includes coconut milk, shredded coconut and a final touch of coconut extract. Make sure to look for pure extract.
A ribbon of chocolate batter is swirled through the yellow cake. Select natural cocoa powder (cocoa that does not have an alkali added -- or is not "Dutched," as it is sometimes called).
Scharffen Berger and Dagoba both make an excellent natural cocoa powder; Hershey's makes both styles, which are available in any supermarket.
This luscious bundt cake is sure to steal the show. Serve this with a big bowl of strawberries for a fitting to finale to a holiday brunch.
Coconut and chocolate marble pound cake
Servings: 10 to 12
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons sugar, plus 2 cups
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup fresh or well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons pure coconut extract
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 F. Generously butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
2. Combine the 3 tablespoons sugar, the cocoa powder, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the baking soda.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large, deep bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the remaining 2 cups sugar and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture and the coconut milk alternately in three batches, beginning and ending with the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary and beating just until blended.
5. Add 1 cup of the batter to the cocoa mixture and whisk until blended. Whisk the coconut and coconut extract into the remaining batter. Spoon three-quarters of the coconut batter into the Bundt pan.
Spoon a ring of cocoa batter over the coconut batter, just in the center; do not spread it to the edges. Spoon the remaining coconut batter on top. With a long thin knife, gently swirl the batters to marbleize them.
6. Bake for 1 hour and 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack and cool completely. Dust with the confectioners' sugar and serve cut into slices.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Holidays," and also a James Beard award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.
