When I was a teenager I went through a phase when I would only eat yogurt and strawberries. That’s all. And I suppose I’m just lucky I wasn’t malnourished. Even today I go through food fads where I stockpile a certain item sweeping up packets of it from the store shelves and packing my pantry tight with them. Mr NQN just takes a look at the trolley and gives me a look without saying a word.
My latest obsession is coconut. Apropos of nothing, one day I woke up and decided that I didn’t just like coconut. I loved the damn stuff. So I bought three kinds of coconut (desiccated, shredded and moist), became anxious when I couldn’t get coconut flakes from the stores, and bought up cans of coconut cream. It was coconut and Thai dishes for days and cakes all were filled or topped with coconut.
I love friends and family member’s birthdays as there is always the opportunity to make a new cake. Mr NQN’s sister Araluen was having her birthday so I decided to make her a raspberry and coconut cake. I knew the family were mad on coconut. In fact Mr NQN’s mother who is fond of peddling the latest hippy love tokens and products has been espousing coconut oil for a couple of years now. Along with coconut oil which was supplied by Mr NQN’s naturopath father, her ex, she bought a contraption which was like a plastic mouth guard. She was so excited when she received it in the mail as it seemed like a miracle product. She spun off a list of its attributes. It could reverse Down Syndrome, cure cancer, improve posture and the most important thing and the reason why she bought it, it would help the user to shed lots of weight. Mr NQN’s father sold it to her for $125… 
Anyway…where was I? Oh yes the cake. I had a bag of frozen raspberries I wanted to make a layer cake as I like making layer cakes for birthdays as they look a bit fancier. I wanted it to be moist-one thing about coconut cakes is that they are sometimes a bit dry (think lamington) so I played around and I arrived at a light, moist raspberry and coconut cake sandwiched with cream cheese icing and tangy raspberry jam and then covered in more icing and shredded coconut.
So tell me Dear Reader, what ingredient or dish do you love a lot lately? Apart from coconut, I’m loving soups and stews at the moment!
Oh and I almost forgot! I’m in the running for the Sydney Writer’s Centre Best Australian Blogs 2012 competition for the People’s Choice award. I would be eternally in your debt if you could vote for me (link here). I’m in great company with so many dear friends also nominated, all deserving of the prize! xxx
Raspberry & Coconut Layer Cake
Makes a three tier cake, divide into three if you want a regular sized cake
- 250 g/8 ozs butter softened
- 2 cups caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups plain flour (sifted twice with baking powder)
- 5 teaspoons baking powder (sifted twice with flour)
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 2/3 cup coconut milk or coconut cream
- 150g/4 ozs. frozen raspberries
- 1 cup raspberry jam
- Shredded coconut
- Whipped cream to decorate
- 120g butter, softened
- 240g cream cheese, softened
- a few drops coconut essence
- 6 cups icing sugar, softed
1. Preheat oven to moderate 180C/350F. Line 3x 20cm cake tins with parchment on the bottom and sides. Beat butter, sugar and eggs in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in sifted flour, coconut, coconut milk or cream and frozen raspberries. Divide mixture among the three tins and bake for 30-40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
2. While the cake is baking and cooling make the icing. Beat butter, cream cheese and coconut essence in a bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy, gradually beat in icing sugar.
3. Cool the cake completely and trim the tops if you get any peaks on top. Remove the parchment and carefully turn the cakes upside down so that the smoothest side (the base) is facing upwards. Spread the bottom cake with the raspberry jam (I first added cream cheese icing and it’s up to you whether you want to do this) then place the middle cake on top of this and then spread the jam on the second layer and then place the third layer on top.
4. Make a thin crumb coat. Take out one quarter of the icing and place in a separate bowl. Using this icing, spread a thin coat of icing around the cake with a palette knife to pick up any stray crumbs. It shouldn’t be too thick and you should still be able to see the cake through the icing. Refrigerate for an hour or so.
5. Do the final layer of icing and spread icing around the cake. After this layer you shouldn’t see see any cake. Then sprinkle shredded coconut on top and around it – I found it easier to press the coconut onto the sides.
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107 Comments | Add your own
This layer cake is fabulous and extremely luscious looking! Can i have a slice, please?
Cheers,
Rosa
I use coconut oil as a hiar treatment, Hairy outs a teaspoon in his green smoothies. We love the stuff! Im having a bit of an affair with eggplant at the moment. Good luck in the comp!
T xxx
God my typing….one day NQN, I will proof read…one day…
I love coconut too. I’m actually on my way to the store to get coconut cream. I have a pina colada cake craving.
this is such a pretty cake!
The cake looks so nice!
Congratulations! I just voted for you! You deserve the prize, 100% you do! No, 200%! I don’t know how you do it, but to keep up with you one must have to be energetic, determined and passionate about not only writing as a process, but what you write about too.
I heard the word “soup”? Well, I made some and you might even like it…:)
Thanks to you, I know what’s for dinner tonight: something with coconut!
As of pasta attachment, yes, I do love it and it makes my life so much easier (I don’t like to roll pasta dough with a pin, it’s physically hard when you do 4-5 portions). I received as a gift all three- roller and two cutters, but I really need just a pasta dough roller.
You mentioned something last week about interview about how you stay slim and healthy while eating all this beautiful food. Was it published?
I had to laugh at your obsession with coconut, I’m pretty sure I’ve been through that exact same phase. With me I tend to overdo a food then I can’t look at it again for a while!
By the way I reckon that cake would be fantastic and light!
Looks delicious Lorraine, my current favourite is frozen berries to make healthy smoothies for breakfast (to counteract other unhealthy eating!). Have just voted for you, good luck as you would be a deserving winner.
Yum I love layer cakes as well raspberry and coconut is such a great combo. I was at a party last year where someone was telling me I MUST start having coconut oil every day. Oh and voted Xx
Oooh this looks delicious. I don’t understand why anyone would not love coconut. I am off to check out the blog voting now. Good luck, I love your writing.
Yummy, this is my favourite. Never thought of combine coconut with raspberries
IF think in deep yogurt and strawberries have a lot of nutrition components a human bean needs daily, I mean, you have milk and fruit, all mothers want their children to eat that.
I like coconut, I remember when I went with my mother to the marked, she always buy coconut, but my husband doesn’t like, maybe the flavor, but not the sensatin of the flakes.
Wow this is a very special cake! I would love a slice
I am glad that you have a current obsession with coconut, I love the stuff too!
OMG – I am in heaven! What a glorious looking cake. Fave ingredients of mine (always) are lemon amd apple.
What a yummy cake! We had a bumper crop of these great heritage zucchini that are star shaped when sliced. I,ve been making home_made pizzas topped with them and a lemon, garlic and chilli crumb … Delish
That looks gorgeous! And congrats on the nomination, of course you have my vote!
Yum! I love everything coconut too. As I’m gluten free my fav is Coconut Flour. It adds a softness and lightness to otherwise heavy products. Best ever pancakes. Beautiful photos, just lovely.
It looks stunning Lorraine! I always love a cake when it is coated in desicated coconut. There’s just something about that particular look athat I fall in love with every single time. Love how the middle looks – red and white go together so well.
In a very strange occurrence I’m not obsessed with anything at the moment. My most recent addiction was probably raspberries. Soon I’ll be back on to casseroles and stews in the slow-cooker.
Yum!!! I love coconut, especially in baking! At the moment i’m loving slow cooker dinners – they are amazing once you leave them cooking for the day and come home to a delsih meal
How random! I had a raspberry and coconut slice in Glebe yesterday prior to returning to the dreariness of Canberra. It was good. But it wasn’t anywhere near as good-looking as this!
I’m going for lots of minestrone soup at the moment. That winter thing, you know… I’m also having a slight seafood obsession. Weird, as I don’t usually like it that much, but suddenly fresh fish and other types of delicious swimmers seem perfectly delish!
My latest food obsession is almonds. Have been making almond creme patissiere, cinnamon almonds, almond muesli and cakes with almonds like the Bee Sting cake.
What a lovely cake you made…I heart coconuts too. I always keep a couple of bottles/cans of coconut water at work for when I have a crappy day here. My latest purchase was a Nudie coconut water!
I wouldn’t vote for any other blog for the People’s Choice Award! Can’t wait to hear the result on 10 May!
What a glorious thing to wake up to Lorraine
I love coconut as well and this cake is just heavenly.
Hmm, $125 for a miracle mouthguard, methinks not
Have voted for you, the best of luck! Some of the blog names are so funny lol
this cake looks fantastic! and flavour-wise, right up my alley. yum!
This looks amazing Lorraine! raspberry and coconut are 2 of my favourite ingredients!
I have always been mad for cinnamon, i put it in savoury and sweet dishes
avocado.
Cannot get enough. If I didn’t know better I would swear I was preggers.
x
Raspberry and coconut is my FAVOURITE food combination. I will most certainly be making this one! I’ve made my vote count too Lorraine, good luck.
This is a beautiful cake. I love cakes like this. I will have to file it to make for a birthday. Thanks for sharing. I know it must have tasted delicious!
You had me at layer cake! It’s funny you mention the different types of coconut – I was in the supermarket a few days ago and picked up a bag of moist coconut. Had never seen it before and can’t wait to cook with it!
Stunning looking cake by the way and I would really really like a slice with my morning cuppa
Another gorgeous cake Lorraine! I don’t know how you keep coming up with so many delicious cakes.
At the moment I have addiction to coconut curries. It’s funny, I’ve only recently started using coconut milk in cooking but I can’t get enough of the stuff. There must be something in the wind if we are both obsessing over coconut! My other obsession is tarts. I just love them in all forms.
Best of luck in the Best Blogs awards. I already voted for you!
Coconut is good obsession. And yogurt and strawberries doesn’t sound too bad, they are both healthy. It could have been worse!
We’re coconut addicts too! We use it in most desserts and some savoury dishes.
Your Raspberry & Coconut Layer Cake is so pretty and surely delicious. Another must try for me.
Lorraine I voted for your Blog. Good luck!
I am eternally obsessed with coconut. Love, love, LOVE it in every form! Add raspberry, layers, and cream cheese icing and I’m in heaven
I am into pies and soups at the moment, must be the weather…
I love coconut especially in cakes and a good Laksa is perfect on cold wet days
LOVE coconut/raspberry combination too!
Have been CRAVING sundried tomatoes, not the ones in oil, TRUE!
Close my eyes, WHAT do I see?
Toasting that I voted for your blog, with a pina colata, unique umbrella, M-E-R-R-I-L-Y!
Have you tasted Roasted Coconut Chips?… they are the most delicious coconut treat ever! love, love, love ‘em. And your cake looks totally delicious. I love Raspberry and Coconut together.
http://www.naturepacific.com/contents/en-us/d164_coconut-chips.html
Yuuuuuum! That’s all.
Actually, no it’s not, I’ve now voted to you too.
Beautiful cake! I’ve falled in love with coconut again. I’ve been chopping fresh apple, coconut flakes, dates and almonds and sprinkling it over yoghurt for breakfast. Now I want to make this cake!
Oh my Lord!! What a freaking gorgeous cake!!
These days I’m eating and buying a lot of pita! I’m on a pita kick now.
I love birthday cake, hate coconut oil, and you got my vote.
That cake is the stuff of dreams. It’s like one of those Hostess Snow Balls we ate as a kid, but all grown-up and glam.
yogurt and strawberries?! Well, things have certainly changed since then LOL If it didn’t, your blog would be quite limited in content and you wouldn’t be able to create such amazing pieces like this cake that I want to dip my head in and eat from the inside out!
Congratulations on the award nomination Lorraine…well deserved!
My food thing is eating Nutella straight out of the jar…a habit that’s got to come to an end at some point soon I think.
Your cake looks gorgeous and I love coconut in cakes!
I too have decided I loooove coconut – because I have looked at all the foods I love and there is so much coconut in them – though I often think that coconut makes cakes quiet moist rather than dry! And raspberries are such a great combination for coconut – I love this cake – just want a big slice for my lunch
I started laughing as I read this one, my Hubby is the same… gets hooked on something and wants to eat only that, right now it’s oatmeal with brown sugar for breakfast… lol
I’m going to make this cake, it combines all my favourites! <3 yummy!
Voted for you as I really do love your blog and read it daily. Good luck.
Kat
A lovely looking cake Lorraine – I’ve always loved the finish of cream cheese icing and coconut.
I can’t seem to stop myself baking with cardamom at the moment – I’ve been putting it into biscuits, cakes and even the hot cross buns over Easter!
PS: Already voted for you for the blogging awards. May the odds be ever in your favour!
That is a stunning cake. $125 is very cheap for a product that can do all of those things – I would have paid double. I go through fads too. Right now we’re eating a lot of pasta, a few weeks ago it was Chinese and before that Thai. Probably next week I’ll be back onto the Thai again. Congrats on your nomination! Very well deserved and I’m sure you’re in with an extremely good chance xx
Never mind about the beautiful, beautiful cake: what on earth did you think I’d do after an eight hour power interruption – vote for you of course! My computer is still reverberating after yesterday’s masterful blog!
So gorgeous! Would suit as a wedding cake even!
Mmmmm, I want a slice right now!! It looks divine. I love coconut, but right now the thing I am in lurve with is rhubarb. Soooo good. I made a rhubarb cake a couple of nights ago – it could possibly have been the best cake I’ve ever made. And rhubarb jam, stewed rhubarb, rhubarb with yoghurt, rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb.
I voted for you, good luck!
Love how you’ve incorporated the raspberries into the actualy cake, rather than just the filling. Makes a really striking cake once cut.
Huge congratulations on the award!
I love the look of this cake – all that coconut makes it look so light and ethereal.
I go through food cravings all the time – at the moment (an has been for some time) my obsession is avocado – I can’t get enough of it!
Oh what a luscious cake L! I absolutely love the first picture and the layers look outstanding.
Okay Lorraine I’m back!!! I couldn’t leave a comment here before I voted for you!!!! That cake is so tantalizingly tempting!! The only thing I’m missing is the coconut cream! Tomorrow perhaps!! At the moment I can’t get enough Seafood!
You got my vote Lorraine! Good luck! the cake looks awesome. I love coconut and with raspberry together… oh, so good!
Wow, Lorraine, you have outdone yourself. This is amazing. I love layer cakes, especially when coconut is involved!
Congratulations on your nomination. Good luck!
Magda
About to vote for you right now – so deserving! This cake looks so moist and I just love raspberries. What a great combo for a layer cake.
Currently obsessed with tahini and cheese. Also, I don’t hate coconut anymore, so I’m making baby steps
I admit to coconut love too Lorraine, great recipe indeed, yummo!
Your MIL should meet my mum, it sounds like they have a LOT in common with interesting health ideas- coffee enemas, memory water, harmonics, and all the other emails I delete after reading just enough so I can answer Yes or No to when she quizes me to see if I paid attention
I’m in a soup/stew mood aswell. Must be the rain weather! The coconut-raspberry layer cake looks scrumptious!
Voted for NQN! Best of Luck, Lorraine!
Such a beautiful cake! It has such a pretty vintage vibe with that 1950s pastel pink and the soft white coconut! My vote is locked in, I hope you win!!
I just voted for you. Good luck!
Yuuuum! This looks SO delicious! Voted for you, I’ve been a reader for years and am so excited for you
Addicted to Dumplings at Din Tai Fung, absolutely awesome!
“Apropos of nothing…”? Hysterical! But that is why I so love your writing and your blog! And this cake is fabulous! So party pretty! Weirdly enough, I have been dying to make a cake with coconut but the freaks in my house don’t like coconut! What’s a girl to do? Love this cake, though, and the raspberry layers so maybe I’ll try it covered with chocolate buttercream. Beautiful!
That cake looks beautiful. My grandsons always choose what cake they want for their birthday.. wonder if I can get this week’s birthday boy to pick this. mmmmm
Just voted for you…hope you win..you deserve to.
HI everyone! Thank you for your lovely comments and I really appreciate your votes, it means a lot to me that you took the time out to vote
Love, Lorraine xxx
Can I just say WOW! I’m really impressed!
Hi Lorraine, you certainly have a fortunate family, your birthday cakes are incredible. This one looks beautiful. I too love coconut, but my favourite ingredient at this moment would be lime; I just love its uses in savoury dishes (and it really helps bring out the flavours without adding salt!).
PS. I voted for you and another one of my favourites a week or so ago. Congratulations on your nomination and I wish you the best.
Yum!!! This looks like a great cake!!! I ve been craving a really moist coconut cake too hehe ~ so nice of you to make your sister in law such a pretty cake hehe ;D no one ever makes me one hehe
Right now Im still goIng through my pistachio phase lol but haven’t been able to find a decent pistachio gelato back home ~
This cake looks beautiful–with such a terrific blend of favorite flavors. Thanks.
I’ve gone through stages in my life when I would only eat certain things at one meal. For example, sauteed mushrooms on garlic toast for breakfast when I was about 12. Later in life I felt vindicated when I traveled through France and discovered that is a common breakfast in some areas of France! Yea!
I’m not really particularly focused on healthy food, but lately I’ve been eating a lot of kale chips–and chia seeds and bee pollen.
This cake looks divine! I might give a smaller version a go
I love that you have added cocnut cream and raspberries to the cake base. Great idea. I will give it a go. Good luck I voted for you ( and everyone else I know sorryxx)
Yum my sort of cake. I voted for you
Voted! Plus bookmarked this recipe
I’m a big coconut fan too.
I’m a bit coconut mad lately too! Coconut flour mmmm. This cake looks heavenly. I’ve been also try keen on bread! Making my own. It’s wintery and warming.
Heidi xo
I went through a phase of eating everything with chopsticks for a year…..maybe not so strange if you live in Asia, but trying to eat my Mum’s traditional Aussie cooking with them wasn’t always easy! My fave dish at the moment? Roast chicken, I’ve only just starting roasting my own….I’m in love!
Wow, this looks *very* good! Excellent job. I love everything in this cake.
This cake is stunning. It looks so delicate, soft and beautiful. Yummy!
I also gave you my vote for the people’s choice award. Good luck!
I also entered this year thanks to your inspiration…
OMG yum! That looks amazing, I love both raspberries and coconut so I’m adding this to the birthday cake making list!
I have also voted for you! Good luck
love the combination of flavours! As a teenager I ate chocolate, eggs, peanut butter and cheese and nothing else. Off to vote
Oh gosh! This looks so amazing! My favourite flavours too!! Your frosting and layering skills are perfect! This spells out surgical precision!! I still have some room for improvement! hehe..
When i saw the first photo i thought ‘this looks too good to slice into’, then i saw the photo of the cake sliced into and thought ‘this looks too good to eat’. Stunning. You are one talented lady.
Oh Lorraine, we truly were separated at birth, lol! I’ve been on a huge coconut phase as of late…and this gorgeous cake would satisfy my cravings quite nicely!
That is such a beautiful cake. Oh my word. I’m having a bit of an obsession with soft cooked eggs at the moment. I’m finding shelling them incredibly therapeutic.
Looks fabulous! Did you use dessicated coconut, or fresh?
Oh, and I voted for you! Good luck, hope you win!
I know the “look” (or at least a similar look) that Mr. NQN gives you when he looks at the trolly because my bf will frequently give me the same look. Especially when it’s the 4th time in a row that I’ve stocked-up on heavy cream
This cake looks delicious and certainly moist. It’s been ages since I’ve had coconut cake of any kind, but now that I’ve seen several by different bloggers, I’m put in the mood for coconut
Done voting! Good Luck, Lorraine! Your cake looks so pretty. I bet it was fabulous with the raspberry:)
Lately I am into bagels:)
***one day I woke up and decided that I didn’t just like coconut. I loved the damn stuff.**
that’s why I love ya <3
This cake looks like
h e a v e n. WOWwwwww. I adore coconut.
Lorraine, congrats on you nomination. Nobody deserves to win more than you.
Even Me! HaaaaaHaa. xxxx
I love the stories about Mr. NQN’s mother, she must be quite extraordinary!
beeeee-yutiful! coconut is on the top of my list these days–pies, cakes, custards, you name it, i want it.
Wow, this cake looks amazing. It’s 7am as I’m typing this & wish I have a piece!
I’m obsessed lately with figs & especially fig & pomegranate salad. I’ve had it every day this week!
Wow… that is one magnificent cake!! I grew up with a coconut addiction – I used to sit down with a cereal bowl of shredded coconut and chocolate chips and a spoon!
That cake looks delicious. I love coconut, bookmarked
I’ve always has childhood obsession phases. Unfortunately, mine are always more unhealthy
I made this delicious cake, however i used a big wide tin, no layers, just icing on top. It still looked fabulous. Very delicious, but a little rich, maybe next time i will try plain milk in it rather than coconut milk… and extra raspberries…
cheers
Hello! Just to let you know your blog, and this amazing recipe have been featured over at BritMum’s May Foodie Round-up!
http://www.britmumsblog.com/2012/05/foodie-round-up-asparagus-and-pea-frittata-lacquered-pork-and-a-scots-larder/
I did a layer cake recently too. Raspberry jam filling and coconut icing. Such a great combination
I made this cake on the weekend and it was SENSATIONAL! Definitely the best cake I’ve ever made, possibly the best one I’ve ever eaten. Thanks so much for sharing this fabulous recipe x
Hi Newfan! YAYYYY I’m so glad that you liked it and thanks so much for letting us know!
x
Oooooo I don’t like eating cake but I would eat this! I just found your website, love it! Can’t wait to make this cake! Thankyou
Thanks Sharon! You are too kind! I hope you enjoy the cake as much as we did
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[...] border: 1px solid #c8c8c8; } « Raspberry & Coconut Layer Cake |Harry’s Singapore Chilli Crab, Surry HillsApril 18th, 2012 by Not Quite Nigella Tweet Pin [...]
[...] a little more than just a bundt cake, any single layer cake for that matter. That was when I found this recipe over at a favourite blog, Not Quite Nigella. It was far from simple, had great flavours, I had a [...]
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