This cake pays homage to the classic combination of coconut and milk chocolate, AKA “Bounty bars”.
Makes: 12 – 15 slices
Time: 50 – 60 minutes to make the sponges; 10 – 15 minutes to make and apply the filling + 30 minutes “fridge time”; to coat and decorate about 20 minutes. Overall about 2 hours
Level: Mostly easy, but care needed with decoration
Equipment: 2 x 20cm/8” round, loose bottomed cake tins
Calories: Are you sure you want to know? (OK, it’s approx. 927 for each of 12 slices, but a mere 741 if cut into 15. I did warn you!) Oh, nearly forgot, the decorations are extra.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 350g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the tin
- 180g desiccated coconut
- 350g self-raising flour
- pinch of salt
- 350g caster sugar
- 5 eggs, beaten
- 125g dark chocolate chips
Filling
- 150g full fat cream cheese
- 100g butter or good baking spread
- 50g icing sugar
- 100g milk chocolate, melted
- 25g desiccated coconut
Coating
- 200g full fat cream cheese or mascarpone
- 100g butter or baking spread
- 150g – 200g icing sugar (depending how sweet you want it)
- 50ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or coconut flavouring/extract, if you have any)
Decoration – select from:
- 4 or more Bounty bars, sliced
- 50g dried coconut shavings
- Some desiccated coconut
- Some chocolate chips
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/Gas 4. Grease and line the base of the tins with baking parchment. Warm the butter until almost melted.
2. Put the coconut in a large mixing bowl and sift in the self-raising flour and salt. Stir to mix then add in the sugar, eggs and butter. Mix well then stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Spoon the mixture equally into the two tins and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until risen, pale golden and firm on the surface. Allow the cakes to cool in the tin for 5 – 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully.
4. To make the filling beat the cream cheese and butter to soften then sift in the icing sugar and beat again. Add in the melted chocolate and mix well then stir in the desiccated coconut.
5. Place one cake on a turntable then spread the filling evenly over it and firmly attach the second cake on top. Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
6. For the coating, beat together the cream cheese and butter then sift in the icing sugar. Stir gently at first then beat well. Pour in the double cream and vanilla extract. Beat again to obtain a firm but spreadable consistency.
7. Apply a crumb coat and put the cake in the fridge again for about 30 minutes, then cover the whole cake with the coating, either in random swirls or more uniformly, as you prefer.
8. Add any or all of the suggested decorations in any way that you feel is attractive.
Retired Bloke on Food n stuff 