When the winter chill is well set in and its bone rattling cold, do you dream of summers (even if it is for a few moments) despite enjoying a delicious comforting bowl of hot soup or a cup of steaming coffee snuggled up inside that warm comforter? I do. Coz I am an out and out summer person and I only happen to enjoy the initial onset of winter chill. I absolutely loathe (strong word there but that’s how I feel about the winters) the harsh winter spell especially because there is no central heating system available in India. The temperatures difference between the indoors and outdoors isn’t much and a room heater is pretty incapable of offering much solace.
That’s when I dream of summer – I dream of ice-creams n kulfis, of plump juicy lychees and of sweet juicy mangoes trickling down my elbows, of refreshing chilled beverages, of crunchy salads, of spicy barbecued food and of crisp cotton saris and Fabindia chikan kurtis. I dream of tropical flavors – pineapples, fresh coconut water, cucumbers, falsas, mulberries!! Despite the dry sweltering heat, I still prefer the north Indian summer over winter; at least I do not have to bother about the frost bite (I know those in favour of winter would be pointing out to heat strokes and sun burns but I can manage that, trust me) and neither do I have to deal with an ear ache when I am out in the freezing cold winds and last but not the least, I can feel my toes and fingers!!
I really shouldn’t be complaining about the winter chill though since I am currently living in Mumbai…thank God for the small mercies! We lucky souls in Mumbai, happen to enjoy a lovely weather during winter time. Actually there is nothing as winters here since the temperature hovers around 20 – 30 degree C but the locals love pulling out their cardigans and caps when there is just a wee bit of nip in the air! I find it so funny & ridiculous!! But I suppose they just try to get the ‘feel’ of winter.
Therefore, hot piping soups, comforting one pot meals, spiced hot chocolate milk and warm puddings are simply not happening here. My craving for something tropical led me to whip up this mean pineapple cake. Coconut and pineapple are classic partners and if I may say so, they are an apt depiction of tropical flavors – fresh, clean, sweet scented and cheerful. Don’t be fooled by the unsophisticated appearance of this loaf cake. The texture is soft and crumbly. We are not so particular about a glaze over our loaf or sweet breads but for this post, I chose to use the tart raspberry jam and it paired beautifully well. It is an absolute family favourite and never lasts long in the house. Call it an addiction since we never seem to get tired of it!
For the cake,
1¾ cup Flour
¾ cup Desiccated Coconut
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda (bi-carb)
500 grams Pineapple rings (I used canned – drain & squeeze excess water )
120 grams Butter
1 cup (scant) Sugar
3 large Eggs
1 tsp Pineapple essence
For topping/glaze,
3 tbsp Raspberry Jam (adjust the amount to taste)
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C.
Prepare an 8 inch loaf pan by greasing with oil or butter and dusting with flour. Keep aside.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add the desiccated coconut and mix the ingredients well with a spatula or whisk. Keep aside.
Using a food processor or blender roughly crush the pineapples ensuring that they do not turn to pulp. Keep aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and butter till light and fluffy (5-7 minutes). Add the pineapple essence and also the eggs (one at a time) beating after each addition till incorporated.
Add the flour mix to the wet mixture, in batches, ensuring to just incorporating it.
Finally, fold in the pineapples and decant the mixture in the prepared loaf pan.
Bake till cake turns golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Once the cake cools, apply the jam all over the top and serve.
Note: The 500 grams weight is the drained weight of the pineapples.
Note: Do not be over zealous while mixing the dry ingredients to the wet ones.
Note: Do not open the door of the oven for at least the first 20 minutes.
Note: I had to use a heaped teaspoon of confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar) to tone down the tartness of the jam.
Serves: 6-8
You may also like:
Banana Bread w/ Strawberry Compote
You may follow/ like EASY FOOD SMITH here: Instagram, Bloglovin, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+
Thanks for visiting & see you soon again!
I have never experienced a harsh winter. And I really wish to experience some snow 🙂
Love the combination of pineapple and coconut. Cake looks so soft and yum!
I wouldn’t mind some of that cold if I send up some heat!
But regardless of weather, I would love to try your loaf cake, it is so tropical and has a great crumb 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
WOW. Look at that! The minute I saw that, I wanted to dive into the screen and cut myself a VERY large slice! Stunning photo and delicious cake!
Ahh, just the name of this is making me feel a little bit warmer! Lovely quick loaf for these freezing temperatures!
I’m with you…I loathe winter!! Our temperatures are 20 – 30 F and the wind chile this year has been below 0F on several days. On days like that, making a beautiful cake or bread is one way to stay warm and counter the chill. I can already smell this lovely cake bake in the oven!
It started snowing here from November and I am longing for some sunshine to do some blog posts :(. The cake looks so soft and moist. I loved the color combo of yellow cake and the raspberry topping.
wow, this looks super yum! I love the combination of coconut & pineapple! 🙂
A really tempting cake ….soft and yummy….I really feel to eat some slices……Happy New year to u too…
Your cake looks lovely and moist. Great flavors. I do love loaf cakes and breads. Will try this soon!
Oh, your tropical inspired loaf sounds marvelous! I love both pineapple and coconut and would surely gobble up this cake. I’m dreaming of summer, too….
I pinned it even before I read or commented on this wonderful cake. Ok, I’m seriously trying to cut out my cake and chocolate for this month. I will be making this soon. Love it.
Enjoy Mumbai.
this sounds like the best way to bring summer into your home 🙂
You are so lucky. Even though Greece doesn’t have the harsh winters of other countries, this year we have already had two snowfalls. True, coconut and pineapple match perfectly and this cake looks very fluffy and moist!
I must give this a try soon! We are crazy for coconut and this definitely fits the bill.
Oh I love the cold, I know I’m a little strange that way. And I also love this cake, coconut and pineapple are meant for each other.
The cake is simply gorgeous. I love both – coconut and pineapple utmost crazily.
Your cake looks perfect and I can eat this irrespective of the weather !
Looks damn delicious,
unfortunately i gotta skip this because i’m allergic with pinneaple….
Woow this cake looks so delicious, topped with my fav jam. I gotta try this soon. Pinned and thank you for such a lovely recipe.
BTW: I do not like winters too 🙁
What a beautiful cake! I, like you, am NOT a big fan of cold weather. That’s part of the reason I moved away from the Northern USA to the Southern USA, because the weather is much warmer! But even the winters here get chilly (about 30-40 degrees F is normal), so I do love cozying up with soup, stew, or hot tea. Right now, I’d love a slice of your lovely cake with a nice cup of tea. =)
LOL
Luckily we are not in Delhi ha? 😉
It’s 17-18 in goa these days. It’s ok, europe is worse but the Indian cold is different to the european cold (as an example). I am not the only one saying this, just met some people from my country the other day who felt the same way. I feel with you Taruna, I don’t like the cold anyway.
For the cake I can just say that I love the look of it just because you have added raspberry jam on top. It’s calling out my name.
Awee…what a beautiful loaf…lovely texture and crust. Even we are lucky in Chennai…except that the weather here is hot..hotter and hottest 🙂
What a gorgeous cake! And so comforting in the cold weather we’re having. I do like winter, but one gets tired of it after a bit, doesn’t one? This is the perfect antidote, though — so tasty! Thanks for this.
The Cake looks awesome!!! and talk abt harsh winters….i’m not at all a cold climate person and yet fate has it I live in snowy cold Minnesota 😉
I will trade you with my -20C! Wow something sweet on your blog! Love the coconut and pineapple combo and the jam is a great idea on top.
That looks so decadent!! And the photography is amazing! Yum!
Anyhoo, I stumbled upon your page through a fellow blogger, and thought I would stop by and say hi! It would totally make my day if you did the same.. or better yet, keep in touch! <3 – http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
You have DEFINITELY got my mouth watering! It looks fantastic!
Oh the cake looks so yum! its calling out to me 🙂 I love this combo here. Its simply awesome
I am a die hard fan of all things coconut and this looks so beautiful! Moist and tender!
lovely cake and so true tropical flavors do warm us
oooo dat jam! so beautiful!
Such a gorgeous loaf! i love the tropical flavors with the jam topping!
Love the idea of coconut and pineapple…very tropical!
Stay warm….and enjoying your week 🙂
I just can’t take my eyes off this gorgeous cake.. Looks amazing dear.. Beautifully captured..
As always mesmerising clicks….gorgeously dressed loaf:)
That looks like an amazing loaf! Especially I am enthralled by the flavors… sounds really interesting…
I just made this recipe.. The flavours are great but I didn’t get much rise in them
Hello Shelia, thanks for your feedback. A few reasons I feel could have resulted in the cake not rising are: pan size being different, watery pineapples, the raising agents nearing expiry date or being old and over mixing of batter. I hope this is helpful.
nice,yummy,awesome food