Tasty teacakes are always trendy; they sit ready to be enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee.Our regular sponge cake seems to be the most popular, sometimes frosted or not, sometimes there may be a bit of fruit in it. But looking beyond the horizon of a plain sponge cake there are some other delightful "flavours" we can add or other methods we can use to create a beautiful and irresistible cake.Here are two of my favourites, both using the flavour of fresh coconut, which is lovely.
COCONUT CHIFFON CAKE
5 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1 egg
21/4 cups sifted cake flour
2/3 cup fresh coconut, finely grated
11/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
METHOD
Preheat oven to 325?F.
Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, sift three times. Place egg yolks and whole egg into a mixer bowl with beaters or whisk attachment, beat until frothy, add one cup sugar gradually, and beat until thick fluffy and light in colour, about five minutes.
Slowly pour in oil in a steady stream, continue beating for about one minute longer.
Divide dry ingredients into three parts, add to yolk mixture alternately with orange juice, beginning and ending with flour.
Wash and dry beaters and beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy, add 1/3 cup sugar gradually, and beat to a soft meringue.
With a large spatula fold 1/4 of the yolk mixture into the whites and then fold the whites into the yolk mixture in four additions taking care not to overfold.
Gently pour or spoon batter into a ten-inch ungreased angel food pan.
Bake for 60�65 minutes until springy to touch.
Invert cake and cool completely in pan before removing.
TOASTED COCONUT CAKE
1 cup fresh coconut, finely shredded
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
21/3 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbs grated orange zest
1/2 tsp orange extract or vanilla
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
METHOD
Preheat oven to 325?F.
Line, grease and flour the base and sides of a nine-inch cake tin.
Spread coconut onto a baking tray and lightly toast for about five minutes, just until coconut is dry and just beginning to turn colour, do not brown coconut.
Crumble lightly with your fingers.
Cream butter until light, add sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating well until sugar is dissolved and mixture is fluffy.
Sift flour with baking powder
Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions.
Combine orange juice, orange zest and orange extract or vanilla.
Combine coconut with flour mixture.
Fold in flour alternately with juice in three additions, beginning and ending with flour.
Spoon batter into prepared tin, bake for about 50 minutes until a wooden pick inserted through the centre comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for six minutes.
Turn out of tin, remove lining paper and cool on cake rack.
Makes one nine-inch cake