It's so nice having an American coconut cake that doesn't rely on sweetened shredded - even if it is thrown in as an optional extra. I've lost count of the number of delicious-looking desserts I have seen that I can't make because sweetened shredded coconut isn't readily available and none of the substitutes I have tried are particularly satisfactory.
Yesss! I agree. I usually have a bag of that angel coconut in the cupboard but I prefer it when I don’t have to use it! Tanya’s idea to use coconut milk powder is super smart I think
Hi Tanya, I have a question. I started making the custard for the cake and it is not thickening at all. Are you sure the proportions are correct? I did weigh everything out accurately! Thanks!
I haven't yet because I thought I was supposed to do that after it was thickened. But now that I know the proportions are right, maybe because I was whisking constantly it never got hot enough to thicken. I'm going back to it now! Thank you for responding to me so quickly! I love Sift and all the recipes you post here. I feel like I' getting a true education in baking--which is thrilling!!!
Oh yes! Just get the heat up and it'll thicken! Cornstarch gelatinises (aka thickens) above 90-95c, so you'll get there if you keep going. Ahhh and thank you, im so happy you have SIFT! <3
Hello! Have checked in with Tanya - she says "Can definitely be eliminated in the recipe, use more vanilla or coconut extract if you can find it!!! Or you can try the coconut block of creamed coconut but that’s not an ingredient found in the US so I’ve never tried it"
Also she suggest swapping milk for coconut milk (but leave the cream in!)
This cake looks so delicious, and I will definitely try it, but with about half the sugar your recipe says. I will never ever get why Americans use such insane amounts of sugar in their baking, it is absolutely not necessary, not for structure, not for sweetness ...
Hiya! So, I will let Tanya give any guidance about this particular recipe, buuuutttt I’m pretty sure that classic chocolate sheet cake in the US uses sugar for maximum tenderness. As well as to interplay with the bitter cocoa! It’s kinda the same with guinness or stout cake. That said, I do think if you wanted you could reduce the sugar to align this with your cake dreams! 💘💘💘
Hi Nicola, I'm sure you are familiar with European baking, Austrian, German, French ... I don't think our cakes have any issues with lacking tenderness, despite not using tons of sugar 😉. Have a lovely day, still love your book, I'll re-read it soon!
Best are those recipes from the Austro-Hungarian empire, Hungarian baking is very, very good as well. German recipes are very similar to Austrian ones, especially Bavarian ones as we are neighbours.
oh, forgot: I love Ravneet Gill's Lazy Person's Cake where I add Guinness, cocoa powder, melted chocolate (100%) and add chocolate drops (also often 100% cocoa), too, and reduce sugar by half. It is the most tender, juicy cake I have ever baked, and that is a few decades so far. Perfectly balanced sweetness.
If I'm going to freeze the cake, would I freeze it before decorating the outside (and then also freeze the extra icing in a separate container) or freeze it fully iced? Thanks for the help!
Hi! Thank you so much for this! Question— is frosting stable enough to be piped? I would be refrigerating the cake until everyone eats it. If not is there a way to stabilize further so it keeps piping tip shape?
I currently have this cake setting in my fridge for my husband's birthday tomorrow. An idea for assembly: I used the ring of my 9-inch springform pan to assemble the cake. I put parchment paper on a cookie sheet, then put the ring, in the open position, on top of the parchment. I put the first layer of the cake inside, then closed the ring. I slipped a strip of acetate between the cake and the side of the springform pan, and continued to build my cake as directed in the recipe. If you don't have acetate, you could probably use parchment paper.
Love Tanya, and can't wait for her book—excited to make this!!
me too!!!! can't WAIT To get my hands on it!
I’m a MOUNDS addict and I think this cake might hit the spot. Can you please specify either by weight or brand on the kosher salt. Thank you.
Tanya uses diamond crystal -- but suggests you can test and taste as you go!
It's so nice having an American coconut cake that doesn't rely on sweetened shredded - even if it is thrown in as an optional extra. I've lost count of the number of delicious-looking desserts I have seen that I can't make because sweetened shredded coconut isn't readily available and none of the substitutes I have tried are particularly satisfactory.
Yesss! I agree. I usually have a bag of that angel coconut in the cupboard but I prefer it when I don’t have to use it! Tanya’s idea to use coconut milk powder is super smart I think
Hi Tanya, I have a question. I started making the custard for the cake and it is not thickening at all. Are you sure the proportions are correct? I did weigh everything out accurately! Thanks!
Hi Judy, just looking at this now. I have made this custard and it definitely thickens. Did you bring it to a bubble/boil?
I haven't yet because I thought I was supposed to do that after it was thickened. But now that I know the proportions are right, maybe because I was whisking constantly it never got hot enough to thicken. I'm going back to it now! Thank you for responding to me so quickly! I love Sift and all the recipes you post here. I feel like I' getting a true education in baking--which is thrilling!!!
Oh yes! Just get the heat up and it'll thicken! Cornstarch gelatinises (aka thickens) above 90-95c, so you'll get there if you keep going. Ahhh and thank you, im so happy you have SIFT! <3
It worked! And it's amazing. On to the rest of the cake :-)
Greetings, is there a substitute for coconut milk powder or can this be eliminated in the recipe? It’s something I rarely ever use.
Hello! Have checked in with Tanya - she says "Can definitely be eliminated in the recipe, use more vanilla or coconut extract if you can find it!!! Or you can try the coconut block of creamed coconut but that’s not an ingredient found in the US so I’ve never tried it"
Also she suggest swapping milk for coconut milk (but leave the cream in!)
Thank you for the detailed feedback and Happy Holidays to you & Tanya! P.S. SIFT is extraordinary publication. Congratulations!
I was wondering the same! Could you use a block of creamed coconut and just crumble/grate it to be more powdery?
hiya alice! replied on the thread above x
This cake looks so delicious, and I will definitely try it, but with about half the sugar your recipe says. I will never ever get why Americans use such insane amounts of sugar in their baking, it is absolutely not necessary, not for structure, not for sweetness ...
Hiya! So, I will let Tanya give any guidance about this particular recipe, buuuutttt I’m pretty sure that classic chocolate sheet cake in the US uses sugar for maximum tenderness. As well as to interplay with the bitter cocoa! It’s kinda the same with guinness or stout cake. That said, I do think if you wanted you could reduce the sugar to align this with your cake dreams! 💘💘💘
Hi Nicola, I'm sure you are familiar with European baking, Austrian, German, French ... I don't think our cakes have any issues with lacking tenderness, despite not using tons of sugar 😉. Have a lovely day, still love your book, I'll re-read it soon!
Hahaha. I love all baking! Austrian cakes are soooo good. Gimmie those tortes!
Best are those recipes from the Austro-Hungarian empire, Hungarian baking is very, very good as well. German recipes are very similar to Austrian ones, especially Bavarian ones as we are neighbours.
oh, forgot: I love Ravneet Gill's Lazy Person's Cake where I add Guinness, cocoa powder, melted chocolate (100%) and add chocolate drops (also often 100% cocoa), too, and reduce sugar by half. It is the most tender, juicy cake I have ever baked, and that is a few decades so far. Perfectly balanced sweetness.
If I'm going to freeze the cake, would I freeze it before decorating the outside (and then also freeze the extra icing in a separate container) or freeze it fully iced? Thanks for the help!
Hi! Thank you so much for this! Question— is frosting stable enough to be piped? I would be refrigerating the cake until everyone eats it. If not is there a way to stabilize further so it keeps piping tip shape?
I currently have this cake setting in my fridge for my husband's birthday tomorrow. An idea for assembly: I used the ring of my 9-inch springform pan to assemble the cake. I put parchment paper on a cookie sheet, then put the ring, in the open position, on top of the parchment. I put the first layer of the cake inside, then closed the ring. I slipped a strip of acetate between the cake and the side of the springform pan, and continued to build my cake as directed in the recipe. If you don't have acetate, you could probably use parchment paper.
would you recommend? the custard sounds delightful
Most definitely! It was one of the best birthday cakes I’ve ever had.