23rd March 2024

Dessicated Coconut Cake

Dessicated Coconut Cake

Long years ago, when I was in school – a teenager, I had the habit of collecting recipes from tabloids or magazines. Information was not as easily available as in this age and the only way to learn new dishes was through recipe books, newspapers or through friends and relatives. I once chanced upon this recipe which I now share with you. Make this lovely desiccated coconut cake this Christmas along with the regular Goan batica and you will have two similar cakes, the desiccated coconut cake being softer and lighter with the essence of rose and almond and on the other hand the traditional and rich buttery batica.

Prep. Time: 30 Mins. + 60 to 90 Mins. (cooling of mixture)

Baking Time: 25 to 35 Mins.

Ingredients:

  • Desiccated Coconut – 250 gms.
  • Semolina [Rawa] – 250 gms.
  • Sugar – 500 gms.
  • Eggs – 6
  • Butter – 50 gms. + 1 tbsp.
  • Rose Essence – ¾ tsp.
  • Almond Essence – ½ tsp.
  • Baking Powder – 1 tsp.
  • Maida [APF] – for  dusting (if needed)

Step 1:     Take a heavy bottom pan and add 200 ml. water and the sugar to it. Stir to dissolve the sugar as much as you can. Now place the pan on low heat and allow the sugar to melt on its own. DO NOT STIR. When the sugar has completely melted, add the semolina and desiccated coconut and mix. Add 50 gms. butter at room temperature and mix it all on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes till it forms a mixture. Make sure that it is not lumpy. Take it off the heat and leave aside to cool completely.

Making of Dessicated Coconut Cake
Making of Dessicated Coconut Cake

Step 2:     Grease a non-stick baking dish (12 x 8 inch) with butter. If using a regular baking tray, grease with butter and dust with maida. When your mixture is completely cool, start your oven to pre-heat at 180°c.

Step 3:     Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the rose and almond essence in a stand mixer or an electric beater till it is frothy and doubles in volume (about 2 minutes for the former or 4 minutes for the latter). Beating the eggs till they are light and frothy is important because it incorporates air in your batter and makes the cake light.

Making of Dessicated Coconut Cake

Step 3:     Next, dissolve the baking powder in 2 tbsp. tepid water. Add the dissolved baking powder and beaten eggs to the mixture and fold lightly with your hand. Check for lumps if any and gently crush them (it is important to be gentle and fold lightly or your cake will turn out too dense).

Making of Dessicated Coconut Cake

Step 4:     Pour the batter into the greased/lined tray. Tap the tray lightly, once or twice to settle the batter. Bake the cake at 180° c for 10 minutes and then 160° c for 15 to 20 minutes. Check the cake by inserting a toothpick into it. If it comes clean the cake is done. Also the crust should be light brown. If it isn’t baked, bake for a further 5 minutes and check again.

Making of Dessicated Coconut Cake

Note:

  • To be on the safe side, always break each egg in a small bowl to check if they are fresh before adding to your collective quantity.
  • Baking time varies for different makes or brands of ovens. Keep a watch on your cake while baking.
  • I have used pre-roasted pre-packed rawa in this preparation..
Making of Dessicated Coconut Cake

22 Comments

    • Hi Gunjan,
      The Answers:
      1. I don’t recommend fresh coconut for this recipe. Goan Batica uses fresh coconut. I’ll be posting the recipe for Batica very soon.
      2. Are you asking for a coconut-semolina cake without eggs or any other cake? At present Eggless Carrot Cake and Steamed Chocolate Cake are the only two eggless cake recipes I have posted.

  1. Hi! I tried making this cake. Though the cake tasted really good. I had a problem with baking it.
    The bottom of the cake didn’t get cooked at all! Do you know why this could have happened. Oven settings were all normal.
    So I had to cut off about 1cm of the bottom and throw it away.

    Any suggestions welcome sonit doesn’t happen again.

    Thanks

    • I have never had any problems like the one you mention before. However, please address the following queries so that I can try resolve this.

      Does your oven heat evenly(top & bottom)?
      Did you pre-heat it?
      What type of baking dish did you use and dimensions?
      Did you use pre-roasted rawa and all ingredients in the right quantities?

      Homecook

  2. Hi!
    Can I replace almond essence with actual almond flour or skip it altogether?
    Thanks for the recipe, will try it soon

    • The essence is only for the flavouring. You will need to skip it if you do not have or do not intend to use it. Do not replace it with almond flour.

  3. Hi I am Lynnet just one question in the recipe it is mentioned that dissolve the baking powder in 2 tbsp of tepid water. What is this tepid water? How do I prepare it or from where do I get it? Please reply I want to try out this recipe soon. Want to bake the cake for my friend’s birthday. Thank you for the recipe God bless you all have a great day ahead.

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