Roasted Coconut Cake

Restaurant Hartwood in the jungle of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula uses fresh coconut for this cake, but you can use sweetened coconut cream. Do make sure to stir the contents of the can well before weighing it. 

Method
Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Generously grease 2 springform tins measuring 22 centimetres in diameter with 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil; set aside.
Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Using an electric hand mixer, beat the sugar, butter and remaining coconut oil together in a large bowl for about 3 minutes (it will look like wet sand). Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, adding the next only once the previous one has been incorporated; then beat for another 2 minutes. Beat in the coconut cream, yoghurt and vanilla. Mix in the flour mixture briefly on low speed.

Pour the batter into the greased springform tins. Gently shake them back and forth to smooth the tops. Bake the cakes for about 1 hour, until the tops are golden yellow and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the springform tins on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
Run a thin knife around the edges of the springform tins and release the rings. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting: using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and icing sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Beat in the water, rum, lime juice, vanilla and salt; if the frosting is too thick, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time.
Place one cake on a serving plate and spread frosting over the top. Place the second cake on top and cover the top and entire side with frosting. Sprinkle with some toasted coconut flakes and gently press the rest into the sides.

The Hartwood Kitchen, Eric Werner & Mya Henry
€ 29,95
Fontaine
Image: Gentl & Hyers