This Coconut Macaroon Cake Is Easier Than a Pack of Cookies

Macaroon fans know there is no such thing as “too much” or “too much”. One chewy coconut cookie will inevitably lead to two, five and seven, so we have to remove the middleman (get up again and go to the plate of cookies) and already turn this damn thing into a cake.

The sheer simplicity of the ingredients list is an advantage. Macaroon cookies are made up of five ingredients: grated coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, egg whites, and salt. When I designed the cake version, I didn’t reinvent the wheel. The ingredients are the same; I just adjusted the proportions. The goal was to enhance the chewy, sticky, slightly crunchy texture and retain the creamy, caramelized, coconut flavor. More more. The bigger, the better. This cake excels in every way.

Instead of making dough and laying small cakes on a baking sheet, you put it all in one nine-inch cake pan and let it stand. It’s lazier than making a double batch of cookies, and the macaroon brownie gets a noticeable flavor boost from a hint of toasted butter (a happy result when the cake pan is smeared with golden fat). The cake does not rise much, which makes it an excellent single-layer snack cake. But don’t be deceived by his determined demeanor; The extra egg whites in the recipe give the dough just enough fluff to keep it light, while maintaining the integrity of the original macaroon’s firm texture.

Prepare a cake tin, grease it generously with butter and place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom. Mix coconut flakes with sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract until fully combined. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and salt by hand or with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture in four additions. Stop introducing egg whites as soon as the last fluffy streaks disappear. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 40 minutes, or until the entire surface is well toasted and the edges are browned (almost unsettling, but actually perfect). The cake should spring back when you press lightly on the center.

The edges and bottom of the cake are perfectly caramelized, crispy and sticky, while the center is fluffy, tender and sweet. Shredded coconut stretches a bit when you slice it, so don’t expect crisp lines. While you can serve it unadorned, coconut comes in a variety of flavors, making it suitable for any season. Try some chocolate ganache during the colder months, a handful of fresh seasonal fruit in spring and summer, or sprinkle with powdered sugar and chocolate swirls for a minimalist pizza. This cake keeps well at room temperature for up to five days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. I haven’t tried freezing it, but since the cookie version can be frozen, I’m sure this cake will freeze well too.

Coconut pasta pie

Ingredients:

• 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 14 ounce bag of sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large egg whites
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan and place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom.

In a large bowl, mix the coconut flakes, condensed milk and vanilla extract until well combined and no clumps of coconut remain. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt by hand or with a mixer until fluffy and firm. Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture in four additions. Pour the batter into the cake pan and use an offset spatula or rubber spatula to flatten the batter as softly as possible. Heat won’t flatten the dough, so now is the time to flatten the surface. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is evenly golden brown and the edges are lightly browned. The top should spring back when pressed lightly. Loosen the edge with a knife and let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the mould. Let cool completely.