Ginger & Coconut Surprise Cake

I'll cut to the chase here - the 'surprise' in this cake is that it tasted quite as good as it did, given my penchant for adapting with impunity.

I managed to sneak in a baking session on Saturday afternoon, chores done, children delivered and recovered from various activities, dog walked. As the rest of the household settled for rugby induced over-excitement, I sidled into my happy place, emptied the cupboards and got a bake on. A lasagne for Sunday (ragu already made and defrosted, so a mere assembly job) - something easy to pop in the oven after our planned Mothers Day activity of a walk and picnic on the beach; some experimental gluten free brownies, of which more another day when I've sorted out the slight oiliness from slightly too much coconut oil; pizza for post-rugby match appetites (shouting at the TV can make people awfully hungry...) and this cake.

Getting my bake on...

Again adapting from Short & Sweet by Dan Lepard, this is my version of the ginger root cake, the adaptations mostly based on using up what was in the cupboard. You'll be pleased to hear that I now have less than half a bottle of pomegranate molasses in my possession, and although I have found several very good uses for it, I'm not sure I'll be rushing to purchase another bottle.

Anyway, back to this cake. It's not a straightforward cake flavour-wise, but the molasses and ginger complement each other, with the addition of coconut rounding things off. It worked as cake on its own, and also as pudding, topped with some homegrown rhubarb, simply stewed.

And if you were interested, this cake also contains swede. Yes, the vegetable. Not Ulrika Johnsson. And unlike my last attempt to include swede in a cake, this appears to have gone undetected. That'll teach them for watching the rugby...


Ginger & Coconut Surprise Cake

2 large eggs
100g light soft brown sugar
100g pomegranate molasses
150 ml coconut oil
150g grated swede
2 nuggets of stem ginger, finely chopped
175g wholemeal flour
50g dessicated coconut
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarb of soda
2 tsp ground ginger

for the icing
100g icing sugar
lemon juice (probably about 1/4 lemon)

Line a 20cm round springform cake tin and pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Separate one of the eggs and set the white aside for later. Beat together the while egg and second yolk with the sugar until it becomes thick and lightens in colour - at least 5 minutes.

Beat in the molasses and coconut oil, then stir in the swede and chopped ginger.

Mix together the flour, coconut, raising agents and ground ginger, then add this into the mixture.

Take the remaining egg white and whist to the soft peak stage, then fold this evenly through the batter.

Scrape this into the tin and bake for around 40 minutes - it's OK if a few crumbs come out on the cake tester.

Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin and make up the icing. Sieve the icing sugar and combine with the lemon juice to make a thick-ish icing. Ice your cake as artfully as you like, and enjoy.

In praise of the Husband - and James Martin's steamed syrup sponge

Someone once asked me in a comment on a post on his blog if the Husband ever cooked. I think I gave some glib response along the lines of ‘only if he’s allowed to’ - but it’s true: I hog the kitchen, and I like to think that I reign supreme. The truth is that the Husband does cook. Admittedly, he’s usually only permitted to do ‘man’ cooking. He makes sausages. 

He pickles shallots – rather fiercely it must be said (apologies for the rubbish photo, but for H&S reasons, these stay in the back of the cupboard at all times – Blue had 2 of these for lunch yesterday and hiccupped until tea time.)

He is the man you want in charge of a BBQ, and has designs on a wood fired pizza oven in the back garden.

But today is Mothers’ Day, and he was well and truly in charge in the kitchen. I’d already managed to graciously accept presents in bed (an apron and a Bunny Nightlight – yes really – Pink chose it because it was 'so cute', and has already appropriated it for herself, such is life) and avoid breakfast in bed which I really hate (call me ungrateful, but there we go – a cup of tea is fine, but breakfast? No thanks). After a quick turn around a much depleted Winchester Farmers Market, under steely clouds which may or may not be promising snow at some point soon, we got home, and I left him to it.

Well, I didn’t have any major concerns, and I was proved right. When I got home from Church, he and the kids were the picture of domestic harmony, table laid, lamb resting, veg in hand. It was delicious – and he was the picture of cool calm and collected man about the kitchen, although I noticed that the port was out, and not just for the gravy...

But a roast, I hear you say – it’s not that tricky. Well may be not, but even if you remain unimpressed, let me show you the pudding. For with the assistance (virtual, of course) of James Martin, the Husband produced a steamed syrup sponge of such wondrous proportions, and plenty of custard, that I was ready to chuck in my apron and relinquish control of the kitchen for good.

In order to show my gratitude, I forced – FORCED, I tell you - myself to eat 2 helpings.

Then, in true role reversal, I did the washing up while the Husband went out with the dog (and to borrow the DVD of Madagascar 3 from some friends, which Pink had determined would be an appropriate way for us to spend the afternoon on Mothers’ Day - are you getting an idea about who REALLY rules the roost in the RJ household?)

It's really all been most enjoyable - even Madagscar 3. I have a fantastic family, and it's times like these that makes me appreciate them all the more.  And now, after all that enforced idleness, I have the left over lamb to turn into shepherd's pie - or maybe I should ask the Husband to do it...