East Indian Coconut Cake Recipe

This traditional East Indian coconut cake is different from regular coconut cakes. It’s dense and moist, and a delight to eat. Traditionally a fresh coconut cake, you can also use desiccated coconut for this EI coconut cake.

My cousin Dan says this coconut cake is his favorite East Indian sweet. It’s mine too! This coconut cake is quite similar to the Bolo de Coco and just a little different from the traditional East Indian Thali Sweet. Okay, maybe it’s a lot different. Blame the Portuguese for influencing our culture!

Anyways, the thalie sweet has got loads more eggs in it than the regular coconut cake recipe. But if you don’t have time to make the batter and leave it overnight, the coconut cake is an easier option. So let’s get to it.

ingredients needed to make East Indian Coconut cake

To make the East Indian coconut cake or Bolo de Coco, you need eggs and extra egg yolks, butter, fine sugar, vanilla essence, sojee (semolina), and grated coconut. The traditional East Indian version is a fresh grated coconut cake recipe, but we use desiccated coconut too. It’s a perfectly easy substitute! Free from maida, it tastes just as awesome but lasts a tad longer!

How to make this simple version of the East Indian Coconut Cake?

Some people say you should beat the yellows and the whites separately, but we don’t do it. Well, we do it for other cakes, but for this one it’s not necessary. Saves time! Just put all the eggs in a toap (that’s what we call a vessel in Eastya) and beat together till they’re light and fluffy.

Mom tells us ‘Don’t Dafrao!’ She means don’t just throw things together. But really, this is just how this recipe works traditionally too. So it works!

Add in the butter and sugar along with a teaspoon of vanilla essence and mix well.

Then in another vessel, mix the baking powder and sojee (semolina) together before adding in the grated coconut. The baking powder is optional though. The original recipe is dense and does not include it.

Sojee or suji is just great, isn’t it? You can use it in so many dishes, from sweet to savory. We love sojee upma, and cutlets encrusted with suji, my sister’s chocolate sojee cake, and my granny’s version of East Indian honey balls.

Line trays with butter paper and grease them with butter. Fill in the batter and leave to rise for an hour or so. Then preheat your oven for 5 minutes to about 200 degrees Celsius. Put your cake trays in the oven and bake for about 50 minutes.

And that’s it! The easy East Indian Coconut Cake is ready. Eat it hot or eat it cold, it tastes as delicious as my sister’s gluten free sand cake!

Cooking Tips for the Moistest Densest Coconut Cake Indian Style

• Add ground cashew nuts or almonds to the coconut cake to make it richer.
• Add about 50 ml of rose water for a more flavorful cake.
• Add a bit of colour and essence to make a layered cake.
• Add half a tsp of orange oil for an absolutely amazing cake!
• This recipe makes about 3 to 4 cakes depending on your tin sizes. Just freeze the extra cake for the next month, and heat on the tawa or in the microwave or in the oven when you’re ready to serve it!

Questions about Coconut Cakes

Can I Use Dry Or Desiccated Coconut?

Yes, if you do not have freshly grated coconut, you can use desiccated coconut.

What Is Desiccated Coconut?

Desiccated coconut is coconut flesh that has been dried and shredded into tiny pieces. Use the regular or unsweetened variety for this recipe.

Do You Beat The Eggs By Hand Or With A Mixer?

We beat them by hand using a whisk or a fork but you can use a hand mixer if you want to.

How Long Will Coconut Cake Last?

It will last for 3 to 4 days outside, or 7 to 10 days if it is refrigerated.

Can You Freeze The Leftover Coconut Cake? Or Can You Freeze Homemade Coconut Cake?

Yes, put the leftover cake in an airtight container and freeze it. It will last for up to 3 months. And yes, you can store it for 3 to 4 months in the freezer.

What Flavours Do You Mix With Coconut Cake?

You can make many flavours of coconut cake. There are lemon and coconut cake, lime and coconut cake, frosted coconut cake, rum and coconut cake, cake with raspberry filling, cake with pineapple filling, coconut cake with chocolate chunks, coconut cake with cream, coconut cake with buttercream, coconut cake with coffee, coconut cake with quinoa, coconut and zucchini cake, and so many more.

What Is The Difference Between Thalie Sweet, Coconut Cake And Bol De Coc?

Bol de Coc, Thalie Sweet and Coconut cake are traditional East Indian cakes based on our Portuguese cultural heritage. However, the Bol de Coc is made using both egg whites and yolks, while the Thalie sweet uses only egg whites to maintain its light color and airy texture and this Coconut cake is made using extra yolks.

What Other East Indian Recipes Can I Make With Semolina/Rawa/Sojee?

Other East Indian recipes you can try are snow balls, chocolate honey balls, bolings, borose cookies, sojee sweet, thalie sweet, carambolas, and many of our cakes.

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• Christmas Date Rolls
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• Boiled Egg Chilly Fry
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