Recipe: Coconut Bundt Cake with Simple Chocolate Sauce or Warm Blueberry Sauce (using unsweetened coconut)

COCONUT BUNDT CAKE
Source: Mom's Big Book of Baking: 200 Simple, Foolproof Recipes for Delicious Family Treats to Get You Through Every Birthday Party, Class Picnic, Potluck, Bake Sale, Holiday, and No-School Day by Lauren Chattman

I love unsweetened dried coconut, which is available in natural food stores, because it's fluffy and light, not heavy and sticky-sweet like the sweetened flaked coconut sold in supermarkets. Stirred into yellow cake batter, coconut gives this Bundt cake a slightly chewy texture and a great coconut flavor. If you are a coconut-and-chocolate person, serve this cake with warm chocolate sauce if you are a coconut-and-fruit person, serve it with Warm Blueberry Sauce.

3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour (not sell-rising)
I 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 /2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
Simple Chocolate Sauce or Warm Blueberry Sauce (recipes follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the inside of a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray and dust it with flour, knocking out any extra flour.

Combine the eggs, milk, and vanilla in a glass measuring cup and lightly beat. Combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour one-third of egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream Add one-third of the flour mixture. Add another third of the egg mixture and another third of the flour mixture. Add the remaining egg mixture and then the remaining flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Stir in the coconut. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake the cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.

Spoon some warm chocolate sauce or warm blueberry sauce on each slice just before serving, if desired.

Coconut Bundt Cake will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, covered with a cake dome.

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SIMPLE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

This is the easiest sauce I know. It can be varied adding 1 tablespoon of orange, hazelnut, or coffee liqueur. For the best results, use a top-quality bittersweet chocolate such as Lindt, Ghirardelli, Callebaut.

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon flavored liqueur (optional)

Put 2-inches of water in a medium saucepan and bring to bare simmer.

Combine the chocolate and water in a stainless steel bowl big enough to rest on top of the saucepan and it on top of the simmering water, making sure that the water doesn't touch the bowl. Heat, whisking occasionally, until chocolate is completely melted. Turn off the heat. Stir in liqueur if desired.

The sauce may be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or over a of simmering water.

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WARM BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Blueberry sauce is delicious on a variety of pancakes and waffles. You substitute raspberries or hulled and sliced if you like.

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste
1 teaspoon strained fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Combine the blueberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes (frozen blueberries will take longer than fresh ones will).

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter it is melted.

Serve the sauce warm or pour it into a tightly covered container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Reheat it before serving (hut do not boil it, or the butter will separate out).