This cake was a hit with the team at our last meeting. It is super easy to make. The original recipe suggests using ginger, but I used a mix of dried fruit.

The recipe is taken from “Through the Seasons” by Annabel Langbein.

 

Ingredients for cake

1 cup dried fruit, chopped – 50% apricots, 50% dates and about 30 g of crystalized ginger

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup water

220 g butter, chopped into small pieces – at room temperature

¾ cup sugar – I used soft light brown sugar

1 egg at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups self-raising flour – I used gluten free SR flour

 

Ingredients for coconut topping

50 g butter

3 tbsp milk

1 cup soft light brown sugar

1½ cups shredded coconut

 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C for a fan forced oven). Brush a round 23 cm spring-form or loose bottomed cake pan with melted butter and line the base and sides with baking paper.
2. Place the dried fruit in a large pot with the baking soda and water, bring to a boil and simmer gently until the dried fruit is softened – approximately 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, add sugar and stir to dissolve.
4. Stir in butter until melted, followed by the egg and vanilla.
5. Stir in flour until just combined
6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top of the mixture.
7. Bake for around 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
8. While the cake is cooking, prepare the coconut topping.
9. Heat butter and milk gently until butter has melted; remove from heat and stir in sugar and coconut.
10. Once the cake is cooked, remove it from the oven and spread the coconut topping over the cake while still hot and return to the oven until the topping is light gold in colour (approximately 15 minutes).
11. Remove cake from oven and cool in cake pan.

 

Tips

I used large sized eggs

I used metric cup and spoon measurements; 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 tbsp = 20 ml