A delicious, easy to make, Cherry and Coconut Cake using thick Coconut Cream. Topped with a water icing, dried coconut, and slices of Glacê Cherries.
This is a great coconut cake recipe with added cherries, which are finely chopped to help prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
These Coconut and Lime Cakes and Vanilla Coconut Cake also use Coconut Cream. The latter of which has a Coconut Cream Buttercream Frosting.
I've got a great selection of Loaf Cakes that you may like to try. From this Yorkshire Tea Loaf to a wonderful easy to make Marmalade Cake.
Ingredients for a Cherry and Coconut Cake
- Butter - I use butter rather than margarine. Always at room temperature
- Caster Sugar - Granulated is fine. But you may need to beat a little longer due to granulated being larger crystals.
- Eggs - I use medium size. Unless otherwise stated
- Self Raising Flour - This includes a raising agent
- Coconut Cream - DO NOT confuse this with coconut milk which is thinner. Like cow's milk.
- Desiccated/Dried coconut - The small grained variety. rather than flaked dried coconut.
- Glacê cherries - Try to get hold of Morello variety if you can. They have more flavour.
- Icing Sugar - Sieved to ensure no lumps
How to Make the Cake
Once you've Preheated the oven. Have ready a greased and lined 1lb loaf tin with baking parchment or cake liner.
Chop the cherries as fine as you can. It helps to add a little of the flour to help separate the pieces from clumping together.
Using an electric mixer. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go along.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Adding a little flour in between to help prevent curdling. Mix until well combined.
Carefully fold in the flour. Add the coconut cream, desiccated coconut and chopped glace cherries. Mix until well combined.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin. Bake in the centre of the oven for 50 – 55 mins or until baked. Testing the centre of the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.
Leave in the tin to cool for 10 mins. Before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Water Icing Topping
Mix the icing sugar with 1 tablespoon of pre boiled water until you have a thick spreading consistency.
Spread the icing over the top of the cake. Scatter the desiccated coconut on top and decorate with cherry halves. Leave it to set before serving.
Notes
- There’s no alternative to coconut Cream. It’s this which gives the cake its coconut flavour.
- Chop the cherries as finely as you can before adding them to the cake batter. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
- If cracks appear on the baked cake. Don’t worry. The icing topping will fill the gaps.
Cherry and Coconut Cake
Equipment
- 1lb Loaf Tin
INGREDIENTS
- 120 grams Butter at room temperature
- 100 grams white caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 120 grams Self Raising Flour
- 75 grams Coconut Cream NOT coconut milk. Which is a lot thinner.
- 30 grams desiccated/dried coconut
- 80 grams glace cherries finely chopped
Topping
- 110 grams Icing Sugar
- handful of desiccated/dried coconut for decorating
- 3 Glace Cherries sliced in half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170 deg Fan assisted. Grease and line a 1lb loaf tin with baking parchment or cake liner.
- Using an electric mixer. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go along.
- Chop the cherries as fine as you can. It helps to add a little of the flour to help separate the pieces from clumping together.
- Add the eggs, one at a time. Adding a little flour in between to help prevent curdling. Mix until well combined.
- Carefully fold in the flour. Add the coconut cream, desiccated coconut and chopped glace cherries. Mix until well combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin. Bake in the centre of the oven for 50 – 55 mins or until baked. Testing the centre of the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.
- Leave in the tin to cool for 10 mins. Before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Topping
- Mix the icing sugar with 1 tablespoon of pre boiled water until you have a thick spreading consistency.
- Spread over the top of the cake. Scatter the handful of desiccated coconut on top and decorate with cherry halves. Leave it to set before serving.
Notes
- There's no alternative to Coconut Cream. It's this which gives the cake its coconut flavour.
- If cracks appear on the baked cake. Don't worry. The icing topping will fill the gaps.
- Chop the cherries as finely as you can before adding them to the cake batter. This helps them from sinking to the bottom.
Jan Gunning
Absolutely delightful cake! I always double the recipe quantity and bake 2 x 1lb loaf cakes - one cake only lasts seconds in our house! This is a fool proof, delicious recipe that is thoroughly enjoyed to the last crumb! Thank you.
Shree
Looks amazing I have large eggs csn I use this instead of medium?
Lynn
Using large eggs can make a difference in the consistency of the cake batter as there will be more liquid coming from the whites of the eggs and it could make it too runny. Perhaps use two of the large eggs and maybe half of the third large egg. Mix the last egg before using half of it.
Shree
Thank you but it says 2 medium eggs so I shouldn’t be using a third large egg?
Lynn
My mistake, sorry about that. Definitely don't use three large eggs. I'd hate to say for sure without testing, but you may get away with using 2 large eggs in place of the medium eggs.
Shree
Thank you I will be trying this looks yummy
Bex
Absolutely delicious. I've made this cake a few times now and it has never failed. Simple, tasty and vanishes. Even the dog drools. Well worth a go, thank you for sharing!
Lynn Hill
Hi Bex. Thank you so much for your comment. I'm thrilled that you like the cake and to hear that you have made it a few times. I'm picturing your lovely dog by your side, drooling as you eat a slice.
Debbie Garrod
Absolutely delicious (apparently - I made two as gifts but didn’t taste the cake!) I actually tweaked the recipe quite a bit e.g. made 2.5 the quantity and baked it in 2 x 2lb loaf tins and they looked good, probably a bit smaller than yours Lynn. Also I had coconut cream powder in my cupboard so I reconstituted it to the correct weight, and made it very thick. I used dairy-free soft ‘margarine’ and 2 tsps baking powder because I made the cake by the ‘all in one method’. Your tip about chopping the cherries very finely worked apparently because they were distributed evenly throughout the cake. Thanks for a great recipe Lynn. Love the use of coconut cream (which is being sold off in Asda for 50p right now so I have a couple of packets for the next time!)
Lynn Hill
Fantastic Debbie. Thanks for letting me know how you baked yours. I've not heard of coconut cream powder. I must lookout for that.
Amelia Bedford
How do I double up the quantities for a 2lb cake?
Thank you
Lynn Hill
Having not tested this recipe in a 2lb loaf tin. I can't be sure it would work by doubling up the number of ingredients. eg 120g butter to 240g butter. In the recipe card there is the option to increase the number of servings from 6 - say 12. But that is only an approximate figure.
If you do increase the quantities, it will take longer to bake. So you will need to keep an eye on the baking times. Make sure you test it with a skewer until it comes out clean.