Strawberry Coconut Cake

Ingredients (serves 12)

• Melted butter or margarine, for greasing
• 1 270mls can coconut milk
• 105g (1 1/2 cups) desiccated coconut
• 200g butter, at room temperature
• 295g (1 1/3 cups) caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 250g (1 2/3 cup) self-raising flour, sifted

• filling

• 160g (1/2 cup) strawberry jam
• 125mls (1/2 cup) sour cream

• topping

• 250g (1 punnet) small strawberries, hulled if desired
• Icing sugar to decorate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush 2 round 20cm cake pans with the melted butter or margarine to grease. Line the base of each pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Combine the coconut milk and coconut in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Beat butter and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl with electric beaters until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition until combined. Fold a large spoonful of flour into the butter mixture with a large metal spoon. Fold in the coconut mixture and then fold in the remaining flour until combined. Divide mixture evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the surfaces.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden and cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Stand in pans for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edge of the cakes and turn them onto wire racks to cool.
4. To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread evenly with the strawberry jam and then the sour cream. Top with the remaining cake layer. Decorate with the strawberries and sprinkle liberally with the icing sugar.

Notes

• 
  Mascarpone cheese can be substituted for the sour cream if you like. Serve it with extra fresh strawberries to make a tempting dessert. Microwave tip: Combine the coconut milk and coconut in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes on Medium/500watts/50%.