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Coconut Marzipan Cake
![Coconut Marzipan Cake](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2017/04/03/dining/03COOKING-COCONUT-MARZIPANCAKE2/03COOKING-COCONUT-MARZIPANCAKE2-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- About 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 8ounces/227 grams (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter, more for greasing pan
- ¼cup/113 grams sweetened flaked coconut
- 8ounces/227 grams marzipan
- ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- ½teaspoon coconut extract
- 6large eggs
- 1cup/128 grams cake flour
- ½teaspoon baking powder
- ½teaspoon baking soda
- ¼teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3cups/240 to 360 grams fresh raspberries or other fruit
- 1teaspoon confectioners' sugar
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch tube pan, and sprinkle flaked coconut over its bottom. Soften marzipan by heating it in a microwave oven, 10 to 15 seconds.
- Step 2
In a food processor, combine marzipan, 8 ounces butter, the sugar and coconut extract. Process until mixture is very smooth. With processor running, break eggs one at a time through the feed tube. Stop processor and sprinkle cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt evenly over batter. Process again until mixture is smooth, making sure there are no lumps in batter.
- Step 3
Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. Bake until surface is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool in pan until slightly warm.
- Step 4
To release cake from pan, cut around the edge with a thin knife. Holding a cake plate over the center tube of pan, invert cake so that it falls onto plate. Fill center of cake with berries and scatter remainder around perimeter of cake. Pass confectioners' sugar through a small sieve and sprinkle over cake and fruit. Serve immediately.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
I make it with no coconut and Almond extract. Delicious '
!
The marzipan I've used is quite firm when right out of the frig or sticky when warmed to room temperature so either way you might end up beating it longer with a mixer paddle whereas the processor blade will be cutting through the marzipan not beating it. I think the processor will give you a more tender crumb.
Can you make this a day In advance ? If so do you store in the fridge or room temp?
The batter is thin, creating a very dense cake - not heavy. It's a preference, but I like a cake with some crumb. Tried it in my Easter Lamb Cake-pan, not a good choice, the neck support floated to the side instead of stay put. Still tastes good!
I made this for Mother's Day and it turned out perfectly: it's beautiful, moist, and keeps well. Notes: 1) Somebody has already commented on the discrepancy in the desiccated coconut measurements, and I've replied. The correct amount is 1/4 cup, although I increased it to 1/2 cup and added it to the batter instead of lining the tin - it worked perfectly. 2) Cooking at 35 mins at 180 C/350 F was more than enough, and made the cake very dark. I would make it 30 mins next time.
Absolutely delicious - made it in a bundt pan and sprinkled some sweet coconut on the cake plate after we removed it - it was gone within two days - tastes even better the next day!
The recipe says 1/4 cup flaked coconut equals 113 grams. Is this correct? From the conversion table it seems 1/4 cup is only 20 grams?
really good. made it with a gluten free flour mix and everyone loved it.
Terrific recipe, moist, dense, packed with flavor. Coconut ice cream a must, so are the raspberries. Made cake twice, takes no time in food processor. I put the coconut in with the batter, not in the bottom of the pan, worked fine. Never had any luck with tube pans, so used bundt for first version, Italian ceramic cooking bowl for the second. Plenty of Pam and flour, cakes readily popped out. A real winner of a cake.
The batter is extremely thin, close to watery. So make sure you wrap your tube pan with foil to prevent leaks onto the oven floor. Otherwise, easy and delicious.
This recipe seems to have too many eggs for the cake to hold its shape in a bundt form. I think I will use only 4 eggs, and skip the coconut, and add a drop of almond extract instead of coconut extract for an original Danish flavor.
Has anyone tried this with regular flour instead of cake flour, or have advice as to what might happen?
Just made this and it was wonderful. Surprisingly light, texture about halfway between angel food cake and pound cake. Followed the recipe except left out the shredded coconut. Grocery store only sells 7-oz packages of marzipan but still had lovely almond flavor. Baked it in a Nordic Ware Heritage Bundt pan that I sprayed with Pam baking spray, cake popped out perfectly. I’m normally not fond of serving cake with ice cream but this one definitely would benefit from it. Never doubt Nigella!
Delicious cake! Even better the second day. One commenter advised to wrap the tube pan in foil before baking, which was essential. The batter absolutely leaks from the bottom.
I cut the sugar in half but this cake was still overwhelmingly sweet. Will not make again.
35 minutes is enough
Can you bake this in a more decorative Bundt style pan?
Everything fine, but this cake is not very sweet is that correct?
Didn't have coconut extract so I used rose, and it was *chef's kiss*. Sprinkled with toasted slivered almonds, coconut, with raspberries alongside.
Is it possible (good idea) to substitute Almond paste for marzipan? Anyone try it? I have a ton of almond paste. No marzipan.
This cake is delicious. Very moist, great texture and the flavor of the marzipan and coconut are wonderful. I baked it for 30 minutes and it was perfect; so watch your time. I had fresh blueberries with a little whipped cream to go with the cake; it is good all by itself.
I didn't have coconut extract so I rehydrated desiccated coconut with a little water and coconut oil, which I added into the batter at the end. Also replaced 1 oz of butter with coconut oil. Came out perfectly moist
Can i make this with unsweetened coconut? Maybe add some sugar?
Made this in my tube pan and a lot of it leaked (thankfully I had wrapped the pan), leading to a flatter cake. Good flavor. Next time make in a Bundt pan tho I think!
Added some coconut to the batter as well a 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract. Baked in Bundt pan. Came out perfectly! Ver easy to make.
I SO miss Nigella Lawson! She's the ONLY cooking writer who 'gets' what life in the kitchen is with three small children and an always hungry husband to feed. PLEEEEZE bring her back!
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