Fresh Feijoa, Ginger and Coconut Cake

, from Issue #108. March, 2023
Fresh Feijoa, Ginger and Coconut Cake

A magic combination of tangy pieces of feijoa, nuggets of crystallised ginger and tropical fruit.

Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

Cake
150 grams butter at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup plain flour
½ cup desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger 
⅓ cup chopped crystallised ginger
½ cup coconut milk
finely grated zest 1 lemon 
1 ¼ cups peeled and chopped feijoas (see cook's note)

Coconut Icing 
1 cup icing sugar
2-3 tablespoons coconut milk 
toasted flaked coconut for garnish, optional

Equipment
Grease a 20cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake. 

Beat the butter and sugar until light and pale. Add the eggs one at time beating well between each one. Combine the flour, coconut, baking powder and the ground and crystallised ginger together then gently mix into the butter mixture along with the coconut milk and lemon zest. Fold in the feijoas. Pour into the tin and bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, covering the top loosely with foil if getting too brown. 

Let the cake cool completely in the tin before removing. 

Icing: Combine the icing sugar with enough coconut cream to make a thick but pourable icing. Using a spoon, drizzle the icing over the cake and scatter with the toasted coconut. 

COOK'S NOTE:
To peel the feijoas, slice off the ends and stand upright on the board. Cut down the sides, removing the green skin but leaving the firm white flesh surrounding the centre.