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Individual Coconut Cakes
These snow-white little cakes are as delicious as any coconut sweet I've ever tasted.
If you'd prefer to make a large cake, bake the batter in a buttered and paper-lined 8-inch diameter 2-inch deep pan. It will take about 5 minutes longer to bake; test for doneness with the point of a paring knife in the center of the cake. Unmold, cool and serve in wedges.
Recipe from Bake!
Individual Coconut Cakes
About This Recipe
| Yield: | Makes 24 individual cakes or one 8-inch round cake |
| Active time: | about 20 minutes |
| Total time: | 35 minutes |
| Special equipment: | Two 12-cavity mini muffin pans, buttered and floured |
| This recipe appears in: | Nick Malgieri's Individual Coconut Cakes |
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup (2.25 ounces) all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
- 1 1/2 cups (about 4 ounces) unsweetened dried coconut
- 4 large egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 tablespoons sweetened shredded coconut or unsweetened ground or shredded coconut for topping the cakes before baking
Procedures
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1
Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 375 F.
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2
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour and coconut; set aside.
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3
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with the salt until smooth, then whisk in the lemon zest and butter. Whisk in about half the dry ingredients, then use a rubber spatula to fold in the remainder.
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4
Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, filling them about two thirds full. Sprinkle the top of each cake with a pinch of shredded coconut.
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5
Bake the cakes until they are well risen and deep golden and they are firm when pressed with a fingertip, about 15 minutes. Invert them to a rack, then immediately turn them right side up and let them cool completely.
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6
Serving: Serve these after dessert with coffee, or as part of an assortment of desserts.
Storage: Keep the cakes loosely covered with plastic wrap on the day they are made. Arrange them in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover in one layer and refrigerate them for longer storage. Bring to room temperature before serving.
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7
Variations: Substitute ground blanched almonds or a combination of ground hazelnuts and ground almonds for the coconut.
Before baking, sprinkle the top of each little cake with a pinch of shredded sweetened coconut (substitute chopped almonds or hazelnuts for the variation above).
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