Coconut and Raspberry Loaf

  Hello everybody!  
  This week's blog post is another baking post. Since it is now officially summer, I thought I'd do a summer bake! As you can see from the title of this post, I'm doing a Coconut and Raspberry Loaf. I haven't done a loaf in a while so I enjoyed making one again.    

   

Serves: 8 - 10  
Prep time: 30 min, plus cooling  
Cook time: 55min - 1hr 5min    

Ingredients:
 175 g (6oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
 50 g (2oz) desiccated coconut
 175 g (6oz) caster sugar
 3 medium eggs, beaten
 175 g (6oz) self-raising flour
 150 g (5oz) raspberries    

To decorate:
 15g (1/2oz) coconut flakes
 1 medium egg white
 175 g caster sugar
 Pinch cream of tartar
 1 tsp Malibu, optional
 Freeze-dried raspberries, optional, ground  

To store:
  Un-iced cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Once iced eat within a day (as the icing becomes granular).     

Method:
 1. Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan) mark 4. Grease and line base and sides of a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment. Spread desiccated coconut thinly on a baking sheet. Cook in oven for 20min or until very lightly toasted (it can catch quickly). Empty into a bowl; set aside.
 2. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar with a handheld electric whisk until light and fluffy - about 5min. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.
 3. Fold in flour and toasted coconut. Fold in raspberries gently. Spoon into prepared tin; spread to level. Bake 55min-1hr 5min, or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool in tin for 10min; remove; cool on a wire rack.
 4. Meanwhile, spread coconut flakes on a baking sheet and cook in oven for 2min, or until lightly toasted. Set aside.
 5. Transfer cooled loaf to a board; remove parchment. For the icing, put egg white, sugar, cream of tartar, pinch of salt and 2 tbsp water into a heatproof bowl; mix with a handheld electric whisk. Put bowl over a pan of simmering water; keep whisking until mixture is thick and sugar has all dissolved (9-10min). Whisk in Malibu, if using. Spread quickly over cake. Sprinkle over coconut flakes and freeze-dried raspberries, if using. Serve in slices.

       

That's all for this week. I hope you enjoyed! If you make this make sure to tag me on Instagram (@ISayBell_blog) or on Facebook (@ISayBellblogOfficial). It tasted absolutely incredible and it was definitely a pleasure to make. I will see you next week for another blog post! Love you all!  
Byyeee!!!!