This simple traybake is inspired by one of our favourite brews – chai. Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom, this moist coconut sponge is the perfect accompaniment to a cuppa
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:25 mins
- Cook:25 mins – 30 mins
- Easy
- Cuts into 15 squares
- Freezable (un-iced)
- Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 100ml vegetable oil, plus a little for greasing
- 300ml coconut milk (not low-fat) – if the cream has separated in the can, give it a good mix before measuring
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 280g light brown soft sugar
- 250g self-raising flour
- 75g desiccated coconut
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ nutmeg, finely grated
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 10 cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed using a pestle and mortar
- 4 tbsp ginger syrup
For the topping and icing
- 3-4 tbsp coconut milk
- 140g icing sugar
- 2 balls stem ginger, finely chopped
- chopped pistachios and coconut flakes (optional)
Method
- STEP 1
Grease a 20 x 30cm baking tin with a little oil, and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Measure the coconut milk and oil into a jug. Crack in the eggs, add the vanilla and whisk with a fork to combine.
- STEP 2
In a large bowl, mix the sugar, flour, coconut, spices and a pinch of salt. Squeeze any lumps of sugar through your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times so they come to the surface. Pour in the wet ingredients and use a large whisk to mix to a smooth batter. Pour into the tin, scraping every drop of the mixture out of the bowl with a spatula.
- STEP 3
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If there is any wet mixture clinging to it, bake for a further 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool for 15 mins in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack and drizzle over the ginger syrup.
- STEP 4
To make the icing, mix the coconut milk with the icing sugar until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cake in squiggles, then scatter with the chopped ginger, pistachios and coconut flakes, if using. Eat warm or cold. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container.
