My son’s birthday is coming up soon and I am thinking about making him a cake.

So far so good right?

wrong!

I want to make him a cake of his favorite movie which should be easy enough if he would decide on one!!

A few weeks ago he was obsessed by Buzz of toy story and I researched toy story cakes and prepared half a dozen designs then he changed his mind.

We started the bolt era…and half a dozen designs later came Horton.

That lasted a couple of weeks, hesitant at first then enthusiastic later I started to look for Horton cakes for inspiration. My friend Rasha sent me a link with a wonderful cake and I was about to buy the colors when (you can guess what happened right?)

A new obsession with Sully and Bo from monsters inc. started and it is still going on until the time of writing these words.

Now the birthday is 3 weeks away and I really need my little boy to make up his mind so that I can buy my supplies. If you guys have any helpful suggestions I would surely love to hear them

 

If you managed to read the previous words after seeing the picture on the top I do salute your self-control. I can’t resist coconut. This particular cake  is my ULTIMATE coconut treat (with strong competition from the coconut macaroons). The recipe is my mum’s and if you are familiar with a dessert named hareesah this is a blend between hareeseah and a cake, the result a moist cake that is loaded with flavor.If you are a coconut lover like me, you’ll love this cake.

The recipe is pretty simple and easy to remember because it is 1 cup of everything except the eggs,baking powder and vanilla

My ultimate coconut cake

1 cup flour

1 cup semolina

1 cup shredded coconuts

1 cup yogurt

1 cup vegetable oil (I use 1/2-2/3 cup to make it slightly lighter)

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

For the simple syrup

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

Squeeze of lemon (this prevents the syrup from crystallizing when it cools down)

Shredded coconut for decoration

Start by preparing you simple syrup by placing all the ingredients in a pot on medium heat  untill it comes to a boil and all the sugar crystals have dissolved. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool.

Center your oven rack and turn on the oven at 190 C.

Grease your baking pan and dust it with flour.

In a bowl beat your eggs with the vanilla untill they are pale

Add the yogurt and oil and beat until combined

Add the sugar, beat again.

Add the coconut and semolina and mix using a spatula

Add the flour and baking powder and mix untill combined.

 Pour in the prepared pan and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Turn on the broiler for a few minutes to get that golden brown top.

Take it out of the oven

Allow the cake to cool for 5-7 minutes then pour some of the simple syrup n your cake (The amount really depends on how sweet and moist you like the cake to be, the more you add the sweeter it will become. I usually use about 1/2 of the syrup that results from the syrup recipe above)

The cake will absorb the syrup and the syrup will become glossy and beautiful

Decorate with shredded coconut and try to resist eating the whole cake by yourself 😉