Gluten Free Coconut Loaf

This lovely rustic coconut cake is just the thing to accompany a good cup of tea. Go on, let yourself bite into a warm crumbly slice. My favourite kind of country cake: sweet to eat, simple to make.

Recipe

Adapted from a recipe from a tiny book by Marks and Spencer called Easy Baking.

Buy the book online at Marks & Spencer here.

Serves 8

pinch of salt
225g gluten free self raising flour, sifted (Dove's Farm recommended)
115g unsalted butter
115g demerara sugar
100g dessicated coconut, plus extra for decoration
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons milk

1. Turn oven to 160C (140C fan ovens), and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.

2. Combine the sifted flour and salt in a large bowl, and rub in the butter until the mixture is the consistency of breadcrumbs.

3. In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the eggs until frothy.

4. Next add the beaten eggs, along with the sugar, coconut and milk, to the flour and butter, stirring gently until combined. If the mixture is too doughy, add a little more milk until it is a dropping consistency.

5. When the batter is ready, spoon it into the prepared loaf tin, and place in the oven for 30 minutes. After this time, quickly take it out and sprinkle more coconut over the top of the cake before placing back in the oven to bake for approximately another 30 minutes. You'll know the cake is done when the top is golden and a skewer comes out clean.

6. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, before placing on a wire rack to cool further.

7. Eat warm or cold, with your favourite cuppa. We ate ours while watching the bonfire we'd just made. Cake after physical labour tastes fabulous.

This cake was idly baked while listening to Johnny Cash sing American IV: The Man Comes Around