Spiced Coconut Loaf Cake
Today’s weather here in Southern CA was blustery and cold – cold by California standards that is. People are often surprised at the weather in L.A. because they come thinking it is always sunny and hot here. Sunny – yes. Hot – not as much as you would think. Anyway, with gray clouds lurking and a fire in the fireplace, I used the day’s weather as the equivalent of a snow day in my book and decided to stay home and bake.
I went with a recipe that I could whip up relatively quickly and enjoy along side a latte and an afternoon rest-bit.
Not too sweet. Not too spicy. Not too coco-nutty. In other words, this loaf cake is just right. Delicately spiced and just the right amount of coconut resulted in a cake beautifully balanced in flavor. Although the recipe as written did not call for a glaze or toasted coconut, I thought both enhanced the overall taste and appearance of this cake. But if you live by the adage – less is more, then keep things simple with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar instead.
Spiced Coconut Loaf Cake
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canned cream of coconut – such as Coco Lopez (see Note)
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Powdered Sugar or Coconut Glaze* with Toasted Coconut** for Topping
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter a 9x5x3 inch or a 12x4x2 1/2 inch loaf pan. Line pan bottom with parchment paper. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk cream of coconut and sour cream in small bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with sour cream mixture in 2 additions. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack; peel off paper Cool completely. Sift with powdered sugar or top with coconut glaze and toasted coconut.
Coconut Glaze
2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4 tablespoons cream of coconut – such as Coco Lopez (see Note)
pinch of salt
Whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, cream of coconut, and salt until smooth. If too thick add a bit more cream of coconut.
Toasted Coconut
Spread 1/2 cup sweetened coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in a 350˚F oven for 12-15 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown in color. Watch closely as coconut can burn very quickly.
Note: A can of Coco Lopez consist of a solid coconut fat layer on top with a liquid coconut oil layer on the bottom. Discard the solid fat from the top using the liquid coconut oil for this recipe.
Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit
This looks amazing. Since we are currently in a rain week, I will take the cozy at home opportunity to make this for tomorrow afternoon’s snack. Just a question, though. Can I use coconut milk as a substitute? I REALLY don’t want to drive all that way to the market.
Coco Lopez has sugar added to it whereas coconut milk does not. With approximately the same amount of fat in both of them, that shouldn’t be a factor. Coconut milk might make for a less sweet loaf but that wouldn’t necessarily be bad. I say go for it! And if you do, please get back to me and let me know how it turns out.
WOW….what a website! I am impressed. The stories are great, the pictures made me hungry and the recipes actually made me want to bake and I am NOT A BAKER! Actually I can’t even cook. Mary, you are making me want to learn. Great job on this website!
I love anything with coconut, almost as much as I love banana’s. Just kidding about the banana’s. That’s an inside joke. Now if I can just get Wendy to make me one, unless you’re starting a mail-order side business.
Congratulations on the blog. It’s beautifully done. I don’t know what looks better the pictures or the pastries!
Can’t understand why the origin of this recipe wasn’t noted. It is the exact copy of one in Bon Appetit, May, 2006. Or maybe you are the chef who contributed the recipe. It is a wonderful cake, delicious and tender.
Maybe you just missed it Emily but I did give credit to Bon Appetit. You can find it just below the recipe. And yes, this is a very delicious cake!