This Mary Berry Cherry and Coconut Cake Recipe is a sweet and textured recipe, which features chewy desiccated coconut and plump glacé cherries. It’s a classic tea-time loaf, ready in about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Mary Berry Cherry and Coconut Cake Recipe Ingredients
- 7 oz (200g) glacé cherries
- 8 oz (225g) self-raising flour
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- 6 oz (175g) baking spread or softened butter
- 6 oz (175g) caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 3 oz (75g) desiccated coconut
How To Make Mary Berry Cherry and Coconut Cake Recipe
- Prep the oven and tin: Preheat your oven to 320°F (160°C / 140°C Fan / Gas Mark 3). Grease a 2lb (900g) loaf tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
- Prepare the cherries: Cut the glacé cherries into quarters. Put them in a sieve and rinse under warm running water to remove the sticky syrup. Drain well and pat them thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Toss the dried cherries in one tablespoon of the measured flour. This coating helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
- Make the batter: Measure the remaining self-raising flour, baking powder, baking spread (or butter), caster sugar, eggs, and milk into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat everything together for about 1-2 minutes until light and creamy.
- Fold in the fillings: Add the desiccated coconut and the prepared, flour-dusted cherries to the bowl. Gently fold them into the batter using a large metal spoon until they are evenly distributed.
- Bake the loaf: Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf tin and level the top. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. The cake is ready when it is golden brown, well-risen, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- Preventing Sinking Fruit: Washing the syrup off the cherries and drying them is the most critical step. The heavy syrup makes them slide through the batter; washing it off provides friction so they stay suspended.
- Desiccated Coconut: Use unsweetened desiccated coconut (the fine, dry type). Do not use flaked coconut, as it is too large and will alter the texture of the slice.
- Covering the cake: Since this cake has a long bake time, check it after 50 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
- Baking Spread: Using a baking spread (like Stork) often yields a lighter sponge than butter for this specific all-in-one recipe, but soft butter works perfectly well too.
What To Serve With Mary Berry Cherry and Coconut Cake
This retro classic is perfect for picnics or high tea.
- A cup of English Breakfast tea
- Pink lemonade
- Vanilla custard (served warm as a pudding)
- Clotted cream
How To Store Mary Berry Cherry and Coconut Cake Recipe
- Room Temperature: Store the cooled cake in an airtight tin. It keeps well for up to 5 days. The coconut helps retain moisture, so it doesn’t dry out quickly.
- Freeze: Wrap the loaf tightly in greaseproof paper and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 3-4 hours before serving.
Mary Berry Cherry and Coconut Cake Recipe Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 330
- Total Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
- Sodium: 200mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 42g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 25g
- Protein: 5g
Nutrition information is estimated per slice based on 10 servings.
FAQs
Can I use fresh cherries?
No, fresh cherries contain too much water. As they bake, they will release juice, making the batter soggy and likely causing the fruit to sink. Stick to glacé (candied) cherries.
Can I bake this in a round tin?
Yes. You can use an 8-inch (20cm) deep round cake tin. The baking time will likely reduce to about 45-55 minutes.
Why is my cake dry?
Dryness is usually caused by over-baking or measuring the flour incorrectly. Ensure you weigh the ingredients precisely and check the cake 10 minutes before the end of the recommended cooking time.
Try More Recipes:
- Mary Berry Apple and Banana Cake Recipe
- Mary Berry Devonshire Apple Cake Recipe
- Mary Berry Apple and Sultana Cake Recipe
Mary Berry Cherry and Coconut Cake Recipe
Description
A delightful British loaf cake combining the tropical chew of coconut with the retro sweetness of glacé cherries, using Mary Berry’s foolproof “wash and dry” cherry technique.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
- Quarter cherries, wash off syrup, dry thoroughly, and toss in 1 tbsp of the flour.
- Beat remaining flour, baking powder, spread, sugar, eggs, and milk until smooth.
- Fold in coconut and prepared cherries.
- Pour into tin and bake for 75-80 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool in tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
- Washing Cherries: Do not skip rinsing the cherries; it is the only way to guarantee they don’t sink to the bottom.
- Testing: If the skewer comes out with wet batter, give it another 5-10 minutes.
Mary Berry Cherry and Coconut Cake Recipe
