Bibikkan (Coconut Cake) – බිබික්කන් (පොල් කේක්)

The things you need

375 ml Coconut Treacle
200 g Grated Coconut
150 g Plain Flour
150 g Sultanas (Raisins) (Cut in to small pieces)
150 g Dates (Cut in to small pieces)
200 g Cashew Nuts (Cut in to small pieces)
100 g Sugar
50 g Butter (Melted)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
100 g Crystallised Stem Ginger (Cut in to small pieces)
2 Eggs (Beaten)
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Cadamom Pods (Crushed without shell)
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
1 Lime Zest (Grated)

How to make

First add the coconut treacle and sugar in to a saucepan on a medium heat. Keep stirring for about 4-5 minutes until the sugar dissolves and bubbles up. Then add the grated coconut and salt. Keep stirring for another 14 minutes. The mixture should be ready now with a thicker consistency. Turn off the heat and keep aside for about 10-15 minutes until it completely cools down.

Prepare the baking tray with 3 layers of baking paper (baking parchment) and butter the top most layer. Now separately mix the baking powder with the plain flour and keep aside.

Once the coconut mixture is cooled, add the vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder and cardamom powder in to the mixture and combine well. Now add all the dried fruits (Dates, Sultanas and cashew nuts) and the Crystallised stem ginger in to the mixture and mix well. Time to add the melted butter and the 2 beaten eggs in and mix well. Finally add the flour mixture in and combine well.

Add the mixture in to the prepared baking tray. Spread the mixture evenly. And bake it in a pre-heated oven (175 Celsius) for an hour.