A slice of summer // pineapple & coconut

The weather at the moment is just gorgeous, so much so that I can't believe it's only March and we've still got the whole summer before us :)

Now onto the baking....well, since the tins were empty this morning, (a recurring theme), a weekend cake was on the cards but instead of a heavy chocolate cake or a classic Victoria sponge, the weather called for something lighter, fruitier and sunnier! The recipe below is for a pineapple coconut cake - two juicy pineapple layers filled and topped with fluffy coconut icing!

Ingredients

400g tin pineapple rings

200g unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

4 large eggs

150g self raising flour

50g ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder

For the icing:

150g unsalted butter (softened)

200g icing sugar

100g dessicated coconut

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line/grease 2 x 20cm cake tins.

2. For the cake, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy then add the eggs one at a time, mixing until completely combined.

3. Next add the flour, almonds and baking powder and mix again.

4. Drain the pineapple and chop into small chunks and add these to the mix too.

5. Divide into the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins until golden, (test with a skewer to see if cooked).

6. Leave the cakes in their tins for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

7. Now make the icing: simply mix (in an electric mixer or by hand) the butter, icing sugar and coconut until smooth. You may want to add a little water to reach a spreadable consistency.

8. Assemble the cake by layering up the sponges with the icing in the middle and on top!

9. Enjoy as physical proof that summer is on the way!

^^ Hope you appreciate the close up; I can't tell if it's the golden afternoon light or just a pineapple glow..!?