Vegan Coconut Cake

Ingredients

• 250 ml (1 cup) full fat coconut milk
• 50 g (heaped 1/2 cup) unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp coconut extract (optional)
• 150 g (scant 3/4 cup) melted coconut oil
• 1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp glycerine (optional, helps keep cake moist)
• 200 g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 260 g (2 cups + 3 Tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 85 g (2/3 cup) icing (powdered) sugar (sifted)
• juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease a deep 20 cm / 8 inch round cake tin and line with baking parchment.

2. 2

   Place the coconut milk and desiccated coconut in a small pan and bring up to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

3. 3

   Whisk the vanilla and coconut extracts, melted coconut oil, vinegar, glycerine (if using) and caster sugar into the coconut mixture until well combined.

4. 4

   In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt.

5. 5

   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk gently until combined.

6. 6

   Pour the batter into the prepared tin , spread level and bake for about 40-50 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Be careful not to overbake as the cake can become dry.

7. 7

   Leave the cake to cool in the tin then carefully turn it out. The cake may dip a little in the middle as it cools - this is normal in moist, dense cakes like this one.

8. 8

   To make the glaze, place the sifted icing sugar in a bowl and gradually stir in the lemon juice until it forms a runny glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cake then serve.

9. 9

   Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to five days.