I can’t really decide from where to begin, I want to say a lot of things. Loads. First of all, I made this coconut cocoa cake years ago when I was still attending University. I lived alone and didn’t own a oven (impossible thing now), reason why I always baked with Versilia, a ring-shaped cake pot that my nonna (granny) always used to cook food…on the burner. Yep, it’s possible.
Mine is 50 years old at least, but you can find it online – even though the materials they’re made of are not as good as the older ones.
Second thing, the recipe. The original one is not mine, in fact I found this ring-shaped cake on another blog. My cooking style changed a lot through these years though, so in this post you can find my own adapted (and let me say, improved) recipe. You’ll notice I use my lovely spelt flour instead of all purpose, muscovado sugar instead of white, so basically I remove every processed ingredient.
It’ll be delicious also if you keep it simple without any decoration!
Last but not least, Valentine’s day. This day didn’t mean anything to me, five years ago, but then I met my Special one. Today I call him Love and I think I’ll do for the next I-don’t-know-many years. Currently I really appreciate this day because it’s an extra occasion to surprise my boyfriend.
But I won’t talk of this at length now, maybe on the next post. Do you agree?
Ingredients:
For the cake (dose for the heart mold or one ring-shaped cake)
- Desiccated coconut, 100 gr
- Eggs, four
- Spelt flour, 160 gr
- Sunflower oil, 80 gr
- Coconut greek yogurt (or vanilla), one – 170 gr
- Muscovado sugar, 135 gr
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, three tablespoons
- Baking powder, 32 gr
- Salt, a pinch
For the filling
- Full fat coconut milk, two cans (at least 70% of coconut cream)
- Icing sugar, optional but recommended
- Coconut greek yogurt, one – 170 gr
Decoration
- Desiccated coconut, 20 gr
- Dark chocolate, 50 gr
Mold Pavonidea
How to:
First thing first I want to say this is not a complicated cake even though it seems. It has various ingredients and steps, but it is really feasible. This is the fact here: it seems hard to do, so your beloved will surely be surprised. You just need minimum manual skills.
Another tip for you: the day after this coconut cocoa cake is delicious twice as much, so bake it on the 13th.
Plus, remember that you have to keep two cans of coconut milk in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Since the cake is rapid to prepare, firstly preheat the oven at 180° C / 350° F.
Using a stand mixer, or by hand, beat eggs (whites and yolks) and sugar, at least for five minutes until nice and thick. Add the sunflower oil and the greek yogurt then whisk for few seconds, mix also the desiccated coconut, a pinch of salt, sifted spelt flour together with cocoa powder and baking powder, combine well. You’ll end up with a thick batter.
Pour the cake batter in the heart mold, without buttering and flouring it, then put it in the oven for 25/30 minutes or until cooked (test with a toothpick). Take it out and let it cool down completely.
Meanwhile, prepare your coconut cream: scoop out of the cans the solid fat part, keeping the coconut water aside (use it to make a delicious smoothie!). Whisk the cream adding also a little bit of icing sugar for a sweeter version.
I suggest using it, at least on St. Valentine’s Day…don’t be selfish, ah?
Let it set in the fridge so it’ll thicken.
When you decide to decorate, divide the cake in two parts with a bread knife. Spread the coconut cream all over the surface, keeping a little quantity to decorate the sides of the cake. Add a yogurt to enhance the flavour.
Melt the chocolate and toast the shredded coconut in a pan just for few moments, lastly decorate as you can see from the picture.
Your beloved will be amazed!
I wish you a life full of love and joy.
Special thanks to Fabio, my most trustworthy taster and strict critic, my Love!
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