Caribbean Coconut Cake

Today, let’s go to my French Caribbean islands, with this coconut cake named "Mont-Blanc."

It is a coconut speciality that we usually eat during ceremonies such as birthdays, communions, or baptisms.

I baked it for my dad’s birthday, but if you love eating as much I do, you do not need to wait for a special occasion.

This delicious coconut cake is made with a moist and fluffy sponge cake, a syrup flavoured with rum, a coconut cream, and shredded coconut.

Ingredients for a 24 cm springform tin/pan:

Sponge cake:

• 5 eggs

• 138 g brown sugar

• 25 g honey

• 25 ml of milk

• 25 g unsalted butter

• 138 g plain/all-purpose flour

• Vanilla

• 1 pinch of cinnamon powder

• 1 pinch of ground nutmeg

• Boiling water in a frying pan

Syrup:

• 50 g brown sugar

• 100 ml of water

• 2 tablespoons of rum

Coconut cream:

• 3 egg yolks

• 100 g brown sugar

• 50 g plain/all-purpose flour

• 200 ml of milk

• 200 ml of coconut milk

• 2 tablespoons shredded coconut

• Vanilla

• Half a lime zests

Decoration:

• 150 g shredded coconut

• Sugar flowers

Instructions:

Sponge cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/338°F and line the bottom and sides of your springform tin/pan with baking paper.

2. In a large bowl, add the eggs and blanch with the sugar.

3. In a frying pan filled with boiling water to make a double boiler, place the bowl with the egg/sugar mixture and whisk until the batter's temperature reaches 35°C/95°F, then remove it from the double boiler.

4. In a small bowl, add the butter with the milk and place it on the double boiler until the butter melts.

5. Mix the egg/sugar mixture again until the mixture whitens, becomes frothy, and doubles in volume.

6. Add honey, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix.

7. Add the sifted flour and mix gently (between 30 and 35 times) using a spatula.

8. Remove the bowl with the butter/milk mixture from the double boiler, add a little of the frothy preparation, and mix. Then pour the contents of the small bowl back into the preparation. Mix everything delicately (between 20 and 25 times), always using the spatula.

9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 170°C/338°F.

10. Remove from the oven, unmold it and leave to cool on a rack.

Syrup:

1. In a small saucepan, boil the water, then turn off the heat.

2. Off the heat, add the sugar, and mix until the sugar has completely dissolved.

3. Add the rum, mix, and set aside.

Coconut cream:

1. In a saucepan, bring the milk, coconut milk, vanilla, and lemon zest to a simmer.

2. In a large bowl, blanch the egg yolks with the sugar, add the flour and mix well.

3. Gradually, pour the simmering milk over the mixture while whisking.

4. Add the grated coconut and return the cream to thicken over low heat using a wooden spatula and form 8s while stirring. The cream is ready when it is thick and coats the spatula.

5. Pour the cream into a bowl, let it cool, and set aside.

Cake set-up:

1. Cut the sponge cake into two parts.

2. Add the rum syrup to both parts using a pastry brush.

3. Spread 2/3 of the cream on one part, then reform the cake with the second part.

4. Spread the remaining cream on the top and sides of the cake.

5. Sprinkle with coconut to completely cover the cream and keep overnight in the fridge.

Notes:

I chose to make a simple decoration using sugar flowers. You can also decorate it with glacé cherries, fresh fruit, lime ribbons, and even add langues de chats around the edge of the cake. Bon appétit!