Go Back
single jam and coconut cake on white doily
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Coconut and Jam Cakes

For a simple teatime cake, look no further than these jam and coconut cakes. These cakes start with an easy vanilla sponge and that is then brushed with melted jam and dredged in coconut.  Finally, every thing is topped off with a ruby red maraschino cherry. Pretty to look at and delicious in flavour, these little beauties will make any occasion a special one.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Cooling15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12

Equipment

  • 12 hole regular-sized muffin tin

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, very soft
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla, (paste or extract)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoon jam (cherry or raspberry)
  • ½ cup flaked coconut, sweetened

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 350 F/180 C and preparing the muffin tin.  This recipe will give you 12 smaller coconut and jam cupcakes or 9 larger ones.  I made smaller ones and you’ll see from the photos that they are the perfect 2 –3 bite cake.
  • To prepare the muffin tin, liberally butter each hole. You could line the holes with muffin papers/wraps instead.  I chose to bake cakes right in the tin to get a smoother surface on the sides.  I also find that, so often with cupcakes baked in papers, half of the cake remains in the paper when you try to peel it off. Because these little cakes are meant to be decorated on all sides, it’s important for the whole cake to be intact!
  • In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to cream together the butter and sugar until it is pale and fluffy.  This will take about 5 minutes by hand.  If you prefer to use a handheld or stand mixer, it will only take a couple of minutes.
  • Add the eggs in one at a time and using a whisk, continue mixing after each addition.  Then add the vanilla to the batter.  At this point, you should have a very light and airy mix.
  • Add the baking powder and salt to the flour and mix together with a fork.
  • Fold in half of the flour, using a wooden spoon, or rubber spatula.   Try to use a gentle motion here, as you trying to incorporate the flour without knocking out all of the air you’ve whisked into the batter. Finally, you’ll add the remain flour and continue to fold until you have a smooth batter.  It might seem a bit lumpy as you start to fold in the flour, but continue to fold and I promise you that it will come together nicely!
  • If you’re planning on baking 12 cakes, fill the muffin tin holes with the batter, halfway up the sides and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. For 9 cakes, you can fill the holes three-quarters of the way up and bake for 10 – 15 minutes. 
  • You’ll know the cakes are done when the tops are golden and an inserted toothpick into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
  • Once you’re ready to decorate your cakes, spoon the jam into a microwavable bowl and heat at 50% power for bursts of 15 seconds. You’ll want to check it after every burst to see if the jam is melted.  You’re looking for a consistency that will be able to brush on to your cakes.  If the jam needs a little help to thin out, try adding a teaspoon or two of water, being careful not to dilute it too much. 
    *Note: if your jam has seeds or pieces of fruit in it, you can push the melted jam through a fine meshed sieve to catch the seeds and fruit pieces.
  • Pour the coconut onto a plate to make it easy to coat the cakes once you’re ready.
  • Using a silicone brush, paint on a thin layer of jam and then immediately roll the cake in the coconut, making sure to cover all sides. If you don’t have a silicone brush, you can use a butter knife to spread the jam over each cake.
  • Finally top each cake with a halved maraschino cherry and serve! These cakes are best eaten on the day they are made.

Notes

Adapted from original recipe for English Madeleines from Vintage Cakes by Jane Brocket. 
  1. If your jam has seeds or pieces of fruit in it, pass it through a fine meshed sieve once melted to catch the pieces before brushing the jam on your cakes.
  2. You can use any flavour of jam for these cakes. Cherry or raspberry are good options.
  3. These cakes are best eaten on the day they are made.  If you wish to store them for a day or two, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.