Photo: Coconut-Orange Syrup Cake with Stewed Mangoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
- 2 large eggs, divided
- 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour, divided
- 3/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 recipe Stewed Mangoes, divided, recipe follows
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche
- 1/2 cup whipped cream
- Fresh sprigs mint, for garnish
- Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter an 8-inch square non-reactive metal baking pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar and the orange peel and beat until fluffy. Beat 1 egg into the butter and sugar mixture until well incorporated, followed by 1/2 of the flour. Repeat with the remaining egg and flour. Fold the dried coconut into the cake batter, and pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake the cake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a cooling rack over a sheet pan and allow the cake to cool slightly. While the cake is cooling, make the syrup by combining 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar with 1/4 cup of the orange juice in a medium non-reactive bowl. Whisk together until the sugar dissolves. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, poke holes all over the cake. Pour the orange syrup over the cake in several additions, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding another.
Serve the cake warm or allow the cake to cool completely before serving. The cake may be made 1 day in advance and kept at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to serve.
To serve, slice the cake into 8 equal portions. Carefully remove the cake from the pan using an offset spatula - the cake will be fragile. Place a slice of the cake on a dessert plate and spoon about 1/3 cup of the stewed mangoes over the cake. In a small bowl, combine the creme fraiche and the whipped cream, and fold until blended. Top each serving of cake with a dollop of the creme fraiche and whipped cream blend. Garnish with a sprig of mint and dust with confectioners' sugar.
Stewed Mangoes:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
3 cups ripe but firm mangoes, diced
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus a bit more if the mangoes are not quite ripe
1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint leaves
Set a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the ginger and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the orange juice and continue to cook until the liquid boils and the juice is reduced by 1/2, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mangoes and the sugar to the pan and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Fold the mint into the pan and remove from the heat. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Yield: 2 Cups
Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 3 reviews
By annette_stouffe...
Danville, CA
on April 11, 2010
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This was a hit. I was looking for a dessert to use my mangoes. I happened to have everything the recipe called for so I gave this a try. I did take the advice of another reviewer and only used 1/4 teaspoon of jarred chopped ginger. Next time I'll use 1/2 teaspoon since the ginger might as well have not been in the stewed mangoes. I'm wondering if the recipe should be for 1 teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon of ginger. Two people didn't care for the mint in the stewed mangoes but I liked the freshness. As noted by another reviewer the cake batter is very thick but bakes up perfectly. Overall this was easy and well received.
By kjcockrell_8723326
Chula Vista, CA
on June 23, 2009
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
I read the previous comment before I made this cake. What a very tasty cake just by itself. I had a ladies luncheon and decided to make this for the dessert. I had a mangoes and mint theme, and this fit in well. I did however get so wrapped up in entertaining that I forgot to make the topping for it. So we ate the cake just as it was.....a cake. Everyone ranted and raved how dense and deliscious it was. And yes how the coconut and organce complemented each other nicely.
I will do this again, but next time I will make it with the topping. I couldn't find creme fraiche, but found out that it can be substituted with sour cream...just FYI.
By juliempop_11737180
on March 15, 2009
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
The cake part of this recipe was fairly straight forward and easy to make (the batter was very thick, but I think it was suppose to be. The cake was also very tasty, the coconut and oranges flavors complimented each other very well. My only problem with this recipe was in the "stewed" part. I used peaches in place of mangoes, but that wasn't the problem. The recipe calls for one tablespoon ginger, and let me tell you, THAT'S TOO MUCH! It practically ruined everything. After I finished cooking the peaches I ended up draining out as much of the liquid as I could to try and reverse the effects of the overpowering and ill tasting ginger. Then I added more orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to try and rebalance the flavors. In the end it worked out okay, but if I were ever to make this recipe again I would probably leave out the ginger altogether.
Read all 3 reviews