My cousin Dan says this coconut cake is his favorite East Indian sweet. It’s mine too! The coconut cake is just a little different from the traditional East Indian Thali Sweet. Okay, maybe it’s a lot different. After all, it’s got loads more eggs in it. But if you don’t have time to make the batter and leave it overnight, the coconut cake is an easier option.
Here are the ingredients I used:
7 Whole Eggs
2 Egg Yolks
380 Grams Butter
480 Grams Fine Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
420 Grams Sojee (Semolina)
300 Grams Grated Coconut
So let’s get to it. How to make a 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. 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.
Add in the butter and sugar and blend together.
In another vessel, mix the baking powder and sojee (semolina) together before adding in the grated coconut. 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, and my granny’s version of East Indian honey balls.
Lastly, add in a tsp of vanilla essence and mix well.
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!
East Indian Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 7 Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 380 gms Butter
- 480 gms Fine Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
- 420 gms Sojee (Semolina)
- 300 gms Coconut Grated
Instructions
- Beat the eggs till they're light and fluffy.
- Add in the butter and sugar and mix together till smooth.
- Next add in sojee, baking powder, grated coconut and mix well.
- Line baking trays with butter paper and grease well.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes.
- Bake the cakes for 50 minutes.
- Cut and serve.
This conversation at the beginning is of goankars not east Indians because they are the ones who always say men. What men, no men etc. They are also called pavwallas as when they came from Goa they used to sell pavs. East Indians used to make handbreads and bhaat is a goan cake similar to EIs thali sweet.
Hi Shanila, are you referring to the conversation in this post? https://thewingedfork.com/east-indian-christmas/
In the post, they’re sprinkled in liberally for poetic effect, but we sometimes use these terms when we’re around family or other East Indians too. “What men?” “No men!” “Come on men!” “How men?” “Yes men, tomorrow!” Don’t you think that these colloquialisms are part of East Indian conversation just like “re” has become a part of it?