Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 60 mins
Serves 8
Ingredients
Cake
½ cup shredded coconut
1½ cups coconut milk
6 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt
250 ml almond oil
4 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour
Coconut Icing
1/3 cup shredded coconut
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
½ tsp cream of tartar
pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease two x 20–22 cm cake tins. Stir the coconut into the coconut milk. Set aside.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Place the egg whites in a small- to medium-sized mixing bowl. Put the yolks in a large mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they are like whipped cream. Set aside. Add the sugar to the yolks, along with the salt and oil. Beat to a smooth consistency.
Stir the baking powder into the flour, then add this to the yolk mixture. Add the coconut milk and shredded coconut. Beat for 1–2 minutes or until well combined.
Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter and pour the batter into the prepared tins. Bake for 30–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool on a rack before icing.
To make the icing, toast the coconut in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat. Stir continuously until lightly browned. Immediately transfer to a bowl to cool.
Combine the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in a stainless-steel bowl that fits tightly over a saucepan. Stir well. Add 3 cm of water to the saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low. Set the bowl with the egg mixture over it. Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the mixture on low speed. Gradually increase the speed over 5 minutes, ending at high speed. Add the vanilla when you switch to high speed. Beat until the icing is stiff and easily holds its shape. Remove from the heat.
To assemble the cake, place the first layer on your serving plate and cover the top with a generous amount of icing. Sprinkle over some of the toasted coconut. Now add the second layer and again cover the top with icing. Finish by icing the sides of the cake. Sprinkle toasted coconut all over the top and don’t forget the sides.