Belinda Moore

I first found this recipe in Family Circle magazine many years ago. It contained:

1 cup SR flour

1 cup white sugar

1 cup dessicated coconut

1 cup diced dried apricots

1 cup milk

Combine first four ingredients, add milk. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Pour into greased and floured loaf tin. Bake 45-55 mins at 180 degrees C. Serve hot with a dollop of cream or cold.

So for years I’ve used that 1:1:1:1:1 ratio to make dozens of cakes. I actually usually halve the sugar, so it’s not the exact ratio, but you get the idea!

So, I always stick to the 1 cup flour and 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar - using raw or rapadura sugar. With the liquid I use 1 cup milk/yoghurt/beaten egg combination - anything to 250ml (1 cup). For the coconut component I use coconut (really!), LSA, oats, almond meal, shredded coconut (rather than dessicated), ground nuts, etc. And in place of the apricots I have used chopped dates, mashed banana (usually halved with some dried fruit), sultanas, goji berries (soaked for a few mins in boiling water), etc.

So long as I stick to the 5 cup ratio, and substitute for like ingredients, this cake works. I always double the recipe and freeze one, and they defrost perfectly.

I like this cake recipe because it has no eggs or oil/butter so is fairly low in fat. I’ve made it with rice milk, soy milk, cow’s milk and goat’s milk and each worked fine. It’s easy to do a vegan version.

Happy Cooking!