RASPBERRY & COCONUT TRIFLE CAKE

 INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS

For the cake

200g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

50g unsweetened desiccated coconut, soaked in water for 1 hr then squeezed dry

200g golden caster sugar

200g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

1 tbsp milk

2 tbsp from a 200 ml/7 fl oz pack coconut cream (keep the rest for the filling)

For the layers and topping

1 tbsp cornflour

4 tbsp icing sugar

600ml good-quality ready-made custard from the chiller

4 tbsp Malibu (or you could use white rum)zest and juice

1 lime

300g pack frozen raspberries, defrosted, or use fresh370g jar

raspberries jam142ml pot double
creamfresh coconut, shredded, for decoration (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Beat all the cake ingredients together until smooth, pour into the tin, then smooth the top. Bake for 40-45 mins until golden and risen. Cool completely on a rack; once cold, put into the fridge.

Meanwhile, prepare the custard – whisk the cornflour and 1 tbsp icing sugar into the remaining coconut cream until smooth. Bring the custard to the boil, then whisk in the coconut mix. Keep whisking until it’s boiling and fairly thick. Tip into a bowl, cover with cling film straight away, then cool.

Mix the Malibu, lime zest and juice and 2 tbsp icing sugar. Trim off the top of the cake if it’s domed, then cut into three horizontally using a bread knife or serrated knife.

Line the cleaned cake tin with plenty of cling film (a little oil helps it to stick), then put a circle of cake back in the bottom. Sprinkle with some of the Malibu mix. Crush 100g of the raspberries and mix well into the jam, then fold in 100g whole raspberries. Spoon onto the sponge in the tin but don’t go right to the edges.

Top with the second piece of cake, sprinkle with more of the Malibu mix, then spoon the custard over and spread it out. Top with the final layer of cake, sprinkle with remaining Malibu, then chill for at least 4 hrs, covered with cling film, to let the layers firm up and the flavours mingle.

Once set, remove the cake from the tin, then slide it onto a serving plate. Softly whip the cream with the final 1 tbsp icing sugar, then spread over top of the cake. Scatter with the remaining whole raspberries and decorate with fresh shredded coconut, if you like.