Liz over at My Favourite Pastime recently had a recipe for coconut orange cake. The timing could not have been better. I have been wanting to make a cake for afternoon tea and this looked perfect. It is made in a loaf pan so the size was right, many other cakes would have given me too many leftovers that I would certainly indulge in! The flavors sounded heavenly, I love coconut and orange. Better yet, it would work for my craving, chocolate and orange. For some reason I have been wanting something chocolate and orange, all I needed to do was add a little chocolate to Liz’s recipe.

I have never had coconut and orange together so I was excited about this. Lime and coconut, yes. Pineapple and coconut, yes. Lemon and coconut, yes. Orange, no. I couldn’t wait! I also added my chocolate I was craving with orange, plus I already love chocolate and coconut so the orange should make this the holy trinity, right?!

The recipe was great. The only changes I made were to use coconut milk instead of regular milk, add mini chocolate chips to the cake and cocoa and orange zest to the frosting. It was everything I could have wanted, intense citrus flavor with chocolate and coconut. The cake was super moist and so delicious! We all enjoyed it, I even managed to sneak a couple pieces and take them to Jack’s teachers the next day when I chaperoned a field trip. Give this recipe a try and you won’t be disappointed! Thanks Liz for sharing such a wonderful recipe and helping me satisfy my craving! Check out her other recipes too, we have loved every single one of the recipes we have tried from her blog.

Original recipe here at My Favourite Pastime
Changes to original recipe are in bold

Chocolate Coconut Orange Cake
1 c. lite coconut milk
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut
10 Tbs. butter
1 c. sugar
Zest of one orange
2 eggs
2 1/4 c. self rising flour
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

For the Frosting
2 Tbs. butter, softened
2 Tbs. cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 Tbs. orange juice
Zest of one orange

Combine the coconut milk and coconut and let soak at room temperature for an hour. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a loaf pan. Using an electric mixer cream together the butter, sugar and zest. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Slowly mix in half the coconut milk mixture, then half the flour. Repeat with the other half, liquid then dry. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Pour in the prepared pan and bake for 60-75 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Mix all the frosting ingredients together until smooth. Pour over the cooled cake and spread, allowing to ooze over the edges if you like. Sprinkle the top with coconut if desired.

Yields 10 servings