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Cherries and Coconut Mini Cakes

How is it that every time I turn the computer on and spend more than 30 minutes looking at the screen, my "favorites" box ends up being full of luscious, simple, adventurous, down to earth recipes that I know I won’t have time to get around? How is it that everytime I hit the market, my produce guy, Sunny, hands me a box of the best he’s got around and charges me pennies for it? Maybe because he knows I will bring you a share of whatever I end up making.
Sunny knows my love for berries, blood oranges, lemon, all things tart and puckery, and naturally of all things "cherries". He tried to compete with Beverly for all things local and homegrown but when it comes to cherries, he knows one tree is not enough for me…so he brings me case after case.

Every night this past week, I sat down at the dinner table, covered in old newspaper and I pitted cherries, pound after pound. I have preserved, jammed (oh yeah, I am cool like that), jellied, pickled and froze 30 pounds so far. Crazy? maybe, I don’t know…I see red everywhere…If I see one more pit I might scream…I think people wonder why I paint under my nails…! But there you have it: first installment of a very cherry summer to come (oh, yeah , I am funny like that) in the form of mini cakes inspired by 3 different recipes I had bookmarked from other blogs, and as a Taurean, not quite capable of making up my min,d I decided to combine all three and make my own little tambouille (French slang for nosh).

Cherries and Coconut Cakes

Makes 8-10

8 oz flour (230 gr)
6 oz sugar (170 gr)
2 eggs
2 Tb. melted butter

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 tsp. coconut extract
1 tsp. baking powder

grated zest of one lemon
pinch of salt
1 cup fresh or frozen pitted cherries

1/2 chopped almonds or coconut

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, melted butter, coconut milk and extract.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the wet ingredients. Fold in the cherries. Sprinkle with almonds. I wanted to use coconut but ran out after another baking project.

Divide between muffin tins lined with cupcake liners, or other molds. I used Reynolds heart shaped molds, coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350 F, for 20-25 minutes

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Comments


Anh June 6, 2007 um 1:19 am

Helene, if you open a bakery, I’ll be the 1st customer lining up for these cuties!


Jenny June 6, 2007 um 2:20 am

yum! Not quite cherry weather here – but my neighbour has a tree and told me I could help myself!


Mallow June 6, 2007 um 2:39 am

I went looking for cherries today and found none – your post is just salt in my wound! Those cakes are beautiful!


Anonymous June 6, 2007 um 4:16 am

Waaaahou alors ça c’est super appétissant!


Chez Us June 6, 2007 um 5:02 am

These are beauitful!


Aimée June 6, 2007 um 11:23 am

Maybe we can trade a can of maple syrup for a jar of that jam you are making.:) We’ve had cherries around the house but they disappear faster than a bowl of M&M’s, so I never get to bake with them.
Adorable cakes.


Anonymous June 6, 2007 um 2:20 pm

Helen, these are perfect for a baby shower I’m giving on Saturday. How timely. Merci!


Cheryl June 6, 2007 um 2:33 pm

I eyeballed a big bag of cherries the other day. Now I am kicking myself for not buying them so I could make these delicious cakes you created. They look fabulous.


Anonymous June 6, 2007 um 2:46 pm

I wish I had a Sunny over here in Richmond ;)…There’s nothing better than having a reliable source for delectable produce because you are sure to produce stunning results like what you have right now…


Deborah June 6, 2007 um 3:20 pm

I second anh – I will be lined up if you opened up a bakery!! These are adorable!


Anonymous June 6, 2007 um 3:25 pm

Oh don’t these sound amazing! I’m truly looking forward to your very cherry summer, Helene!


Patricia Scarpin June 6, 2007 um 6:44 pm

Helen, these are so lovely. I have never tried anything with both coconut and cherries.


Alessandra June 6, 2007 um 8:22 pm

What is the best way of freezing cherries and for how long?
do you put them in bags or in containers?


Nora B. June 6, 2007 um 9:15 pm

Helene, I like mini anything and your mini cakes look so pretty. Cherries & coconut is a good combination and I would eat it in cakes but somehow I don’t like "cherry ripe".


Chris June 6, 2007 um 9:49 pm

These are a great batch of beauties.


Erin June 6, 2007 um 10:15 pm

Fresh cherries won’t be here for a few more weeks, but I’m definitely bookmarking this recipe for when they do show up!


Helene June 7, 2007 um 12:25 am

anh: thank you…That’s a dream of mine, for sure!
Jenny:you should go for it!
Mallow: so sorry..hope you can make soon.
Lisanka: merci!
denise: thanks!
Aimee: I am in! Send me your address!
Lynn: tell me how they turn out!
Cheryl: get it next time and make me some goodies!
Veron: hand off! Sunny is mine! might want to ask his wife first though!
Deborah: thanks ! 2 customers!!
Gilly: I have so many recipes I want to make with these!
Pat: I hope I have enticed you to try!
Alessandra: pit them first, layer them on a sheet pan in one layer and freeze. Once they are frozen, put them in siploc bags.
Nora: with the cake around, it is totally different than cherry pie!
Chris: thank you!
Erin: tell me how they turn out!


Peabody June 7, 2007 um 1:47 am

We are just starting to get cherries here…so off to make this!


Anonymous June 7, 2007 um 3:36 am

it hardly matters what you bake, Helene, because you know how to make it look so beautiful. You often have me in a quandry wondering whether I would like to eat it or keep it for display!


evinrude June 7, 2007 um 5:05 pm

Oh these look yummy! I’m yearning for supper now. I had some cherries too and had just used them to bake a cherry upside-down cake 2 days ago. Yum! Coconut with cherries sound interesting. =)


Anita June 7, 2007 um 9:47 pm

So happy it’s cherry season – your cakes are inspiring me to get going on some cherry desserts of my own! Gorgeous!


Anuhea June 7, 2007 um 11:15 pm

How sweet….too bad all the fruit we get in hawaii (like cherries) are so expensive. 🙁


Parisbreakfasts June 8, 2007 um 1:33 am

These are sooooo pretty!
Thank goodness I don’t like coconut. But wait if you open a bakery I will buy them and eat them…even if there is coconut in them.
When will you be open?


SteamyKitchen June 8, 2007 um 3:47 am

Wow, you are so amazing! I think I just gained 5 pounds just looking around.


Cookie baker Lynn June 13, 2007 um 5:02 pm

They turned out very nicely. Thanks! I posted them on my blog.


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