CAKE
2 c Plus 3 tablespoons sifted
-unbleached all
; purpose flour
2 ts Baking powder
1 ts Ground ginger
3/4 ts Baking soda
3/4 ts Salt
3/4 ts Ground cinnamon
1 c Unsalted butter; room
-temperature (2
; sticks)
3/4 c Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 c Plus 2 tablespoons light
-unsulfured
; molasses
2 tb Grated orange peel
1 ts Vanilla extract
3/4 c Buttermilk
1 c Shredded sweetened coconut;
-toasted
1/2 c Diced crystallized ginger;
-(about 2 1/2 ounces)
-ICING-
8 oz Cream cheese; room
-temperature
1/2 c Unsalted butter; room
-temperature (1
; stick)
2 tb Grated orange peel
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 Box powdered sugar;
-(1-pound)
1/3 c Minced crystallized ginger;
-(scant 2 ounces)
1 c Shredded sweetened coconut;
-toasted
Tropical fruit such as
-pineapple; papaya and
-mango,
; cut into bite-size
; pieces
For cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans
with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment. Butter
parchment; dust pans with flour. Sift flour, baking powder, ground
ginger, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon into medium bowl. Using
electric mixer, cream unsalted butter and sugar in large bowl until
fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add unsulfured molasses, grated
orange peel and vanilla extract and beat 1 minute at high speed until
well blended. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk,
beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Fold in shredded coconut
and crystallized ginger.
Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until cakes begin to pull
away from sides of pans, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 5
minutes. Invert cakes onto racks. Remove parchment and cool
completely.
For icing: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until
smooth. Mix in orange peel and vanilla. Beat in sugar. Mix in ginger.
Place 1 cake layer on platter, flat side down. Spread with some of
icing. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup coconut. Top with second layer, flat
side up. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Arrange
remaining coconut around top edge of cake. (Can be prepared 1 day
ahead. Chill until icing is set; wrap lightly with plastic and
refrigerate. Bring to room temperature.) Place fruit around base of
cake.
Serves 12.
Yields
1 servings