I’m a huge fan of comfort food on rainy days and this traditional recipe delivers on the wholesomeness. The light and fluffy vanilla sponge is topped with a tart raspberry jam and covered in desiccated coconut for an old-school recipe that leaves you wanting more. Take a look at the recipe below for a coeliac-friendly jam and coconut cake that you won’t believe is gluten-free!
This cake brings back all the school feels. I remember it being on the menu several times a year severed up with a dollop of pink or yellow custard. The recipe is plain and simple but the flavours really do deliver a warming wholesome dessert for rainy days!
Which substitutions are possible?
Margarine- I prefer to use a good quality margarine spread as it tends to make gluten-free cakes slightly more moist but unsalted butter can be used too
Jam – I use a tart raspberry jam but any jam will do so go for your favourtite
What equipment do you need for this cake?
- One deep rectangular baking tray, I use the standard traybake size from Pyrex
- 1 bowl or stand mixer with bowl
- Baking paper
- Offset spatula
Tips & Tricks
Room temperature ingredients are essential for this recipe to work. Room temperature ingredients ensure that they can all be mixed together thoroughly. If you forget to take your eggs out of the fridge beforehand, place them in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot, you don’t want to cook them!) water 15 minutes prior to baking to bring them to room temperature more quickly.
The toothpick test is a great way to check whether your cake is done. As all ovens are calibrated differently, the baking times stated are always suggested as a rough guide. To check if the cake is done, insert a toothpick into the centre and if it comes out with no crumbs stuck to it, you can assume that the cake is baked through and ready to come out.
I use grams for weighing almost all of the ingredients in my recipes as it is what I am most used to when cooking and baking on a daily basis. I use measuring cups for simple ingredients such as spices or smaller amounts as it can be much easier to measure. I would recommend sticking to what the recipe suggests as there is no guarantee that converting into cup measurements or vice-versa will have the same outcome.
Nostalgic Jam and Coconut Traybake
Ingredients
For the vanilla sponge
- 400 g gluten-free self-raising flour
- 400 g margarine
- 6 medium free-range eggs
- 380 g white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum
- ¼ tsp salt
For the toppings
- 1 jar raspberry jam
- 6-8 heaped tbsp desiccated coconunt
- custard to serve
Instructions
For the vanilla sponge
- Preheat the oven to 160° C Fan and line a 30x23cm deep square baking tin with baking paper, leaving some over the sides so that the cake can be taken out easily after baking.
- Cream together the margarine and sugar until lighter and fluffy in texture.400 g margarine, 380 g white sugar
- Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time until completely incorporated.6 medium free-range eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour, salt and Xanthan Gum to the wet ingredients and fold in until no pockets of flour remain.400 g gluten-free self-raising flour, ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum, ¼ tsp salt
- Transfer the mixture to the square baking tin and level off with an offset spatula.
- Bake on the middle shelf for around 35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean (See Notes).
- Allow the cake the cool completely when done, before removing from the baking tin. Once cooled, cover evenly with the jam and sprinkle with desiccated coconut.1 jar raspberry jam, 6-8 heaped tbsp desiccated coconunt
- Serve warm with custard.custard
