Ingredients
- 185g (6½oz) caster sugar
- 185g (6½oz) butter, softened
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 420g can peaches, drained and puréed
- 100g (4oz) desiccated coconut
- 185g (6½oz) self-raising flour
- 1tsp baking powder
for the icing
- 300g (10oz) white chocolate, broken into pieces
- 300g (10oz) full-fat Philadelphia
- 175g (6oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 1tbsp Malibu or white rum
- 100g (4oz) desiccated coconut, toasted white chocolate curls, to decorate
you will need
- 20cm (8in) round springform cake tin, lightly oiled and base-lined
Method
Heat the oven to 170 C, 150 C fan, 325 F, gas 3. Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the peaches - don't worry if the mixture splits; it will come back together.
Fold in the coconut, flour and baking powder with a pinch of salt, pour into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean, covering the top with foil if it looks like it's getting too dark. Remove from the oven, cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, make the icing. Melt the chocolate very gently over a pan of steaming water off the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature - don't rush this or the icing won't set. Beat the Philadelphia and butter with an electric whisk, then add the melted chocolate and beat again. Stir through the Malibu or rum until smooth.
Using a serrated knife, carefully split the cake in half horizontally. Use a third of the icing to fill the centre, then cover the rest of the cake with the remaining icing. Using a palette knife, carefully press the toasted coconut up the sides of the cake, then decorate the top with chocolate curls. The decorated cake will keep in the fridge for 3 days. Bring back to room temperature before serving.
Top Tip for making Frosted Peach and Coconut Cake
To make chocolate curls, melt a couple of bars of white chocolate and spread evenly on to a chopping board or baking sheet. Cool in the fridge for 30 minutes, then drag a cheese slicer along the surface to form curls. If the chocolate cracks, it's too cold; if it curls up too thickly, it's too warm. It takes practice, but it's not difficult! Keep the curls in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.