As a kid I absolutely LOVED school puddings – the friendly dinner ladies would heave huge metal trays of naughty desserts to the serving area after our main course and we always got a big portion along with custard. My absolute favourite was gypsy tart but you have to whisk the tart filling for about a week to prepare that (I tried and failed) so I have chosen my second favourite, jammy coconut sponge!
This jammy coconut sponge recipe is based on one from ‘Jamie’s Great Britain‘ and is delish – the combination of light sponge along with the sweet jam and desiccated coconut topping, served with custard, is proper comfort food. It is simple to make even if you are not used to baking. Allow at least an hour to prepare, cook and top the cake. Kids may like spreading the baked sponge with jam and then sprinkling on the ‘snow’ (desiccated coconut). Gorgeous.
For an alternative, exotic yet simple recipe using desiccated coconut try these burfis (Indian sweets). They taste beautiful, contain 4 ingredients and take 30 mins: https://katielovescooking.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/beautiful-burfis-an-indian-sweet-in-15-mins/. And for a straightforward homemade strawberry fridge jam recipe click here: https://katielovescooking.wordpress.com/2014/07/06/cooking-with-kids-strawberry-fridge-jam/.
School dinner jammy coconut sponge
225g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs
225g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Splash of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
75g desiccated coconut
150g jam (raspberry/strawberry/blackberry – cheapest is fine!)
Grease and line the bottom of an approx 30 x 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4.
Mix the butter and sugar together until pale, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the flour and baking powder, add a splash of milk and the vanilla extract and mix again. Pour in to the lined baking tin and cook for at least 30 mins, until golden brown and a knife inserted comes out clean (it may take a little longer – just keep a close eye).
Leave the sponge to cool for around 10 mins then spread the jam on top and evenly sprinkle on the coconut. Serve with custard!
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