Almond Coconut Cake

Vacations - that little escape from reality that's so needed but so hard to come back from.  It's not that I have a life that warrants a temporary departure - but who doesn't love to shake up their daily routine every now and then?  New people, new places, new foods and new schedules - that's what vacation is all about.  

Last week I had the most perfect little vacation escape.  I got to hang out in one of my favorite places with some of my very favorite people on the planet.  We boated, skied, biked, sailed, walked and kayaked - and that was just the first day.  🤣Needless to say, we came home from our vacation blissfuly happy and exhausted.  ​

When my Italian family gathers together - we play, we celebrate and we EAT!  Like a lot! 🤣 And last weeks family vacation was no exception.  🍦 I think it's because there are so many good cooks in my family.  👨🏼‍🍳 Everyone wants to share their best culinary creations so we have to eat every couple of hours just to fit it all in. 😅 In my case, I make a few of my favorite but I also take advantage of the fact that I have some new guinea pigs to try my new recipes.  #myfamilygiveshonestfeedback  🤣

​Bread, biscotti, coffee cake muffins and cakes were all part of my vacation baking last week.  Doesn't everyone bake while they're on vacation? 🤷🏻‍♀️😅 #bakingismystressrelief   This Almond Coconut cake was one of the new recipes that I tested out on my guinea pigs.  (aka. my family)

Almond Coconut Cake
10 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup almond flour
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups frozen, pitted sweet cherries
1/3 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped

Whisk together flours, coconut, baking powder and salt.  

Whisk together eggs, 1/2 c. white sugar, brown sugar and almond extract. 

Whisk in melted butter. 

Gently whisk in dry ingredients. 

Pour batter into greased 9" round cake pan. 

Slice cherries in half and place over batter in pan.  Pour juices over batter. 

Sprinkle with pistachios and 1 T. sugar.

Bake 50-55 minutes at 350.

Cool 1 hour in pan.  Remove from pan by inverting onto a plate and then inverting again onto a serving platter. 

We ate this cake for dessert but it would be equally good as a morning coffee cake.  Just one more way for me to squeeze an extra cake recipe into an already jam packed week of eating.  Uhhh - I mean family vacation week.  😅

Ciao!

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