Toasted Coconut & Vanilla Cake

Ingredients

Dairy-free without the frosting

70 minutes + cooling time (20 minutes hands-on time, 50 minutes baking time)

Makes 1 x 23cm round cake

Cake

• 1 cup (190g/250ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 cups (300g) raw sugar
• 2 tbs (15g) vanilla bean paste or extract
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups (280g) plain flour
• 1 cup (60g) shredded coconut, toasted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1⁄2 tsp bi-carb soda
• 1⁄2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup (195g) thick unsweetened coconut yoghurt

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

• 375g cream cheese
• 60g icing sugar
• 2 tbs vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Zest of 1 lemon
   
• 1⁄2 cup coconut flakes, toasted, for sprinkling on top

Method

Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (fan forced).
2. Grease and line a 23cm (9inch) round springform cake tin.
3. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil, sugar, vanilla, and eggs until smooth.
4. Add the flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and yoghurt, and gently fold to combine.
5. Pour the mixture into the pre-lined tin.
6. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 50 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the tin and placing onto a serving plate.
8. You can serve the cake warm dusted with icing sugar OR allow the cake to cool completely and frost with the vanilla cream cheese frosting.
9. If frosting, dollop the frosting into the middle of the cake and using ‘swooshing’ motions with the back of a spoon, spread the frosting to the edges of the cake.
10. Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes and serve.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

1. While the cake is baking let's make the frosting.
2. Add the cream cheese, vanilla, icing sugar, and lemon zest, to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or you can use hand beaters or a spatula in a medium-sized mixing bowl).
3. Beat the ingredients until super smooth.
4. Set aside until ready to use.

NOTE: Store the cake in the fridge.