Ingredients:
175g long-thread coconut
250g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
100g butter
100g soft brown sugar
175g desiccated coconut
2 eggs, beaten
a little milk
600ml double cream
1 jar (225g) maraschino cherries, drained
Method:
Sit the long-thread coconut on a plate, transfer to your microwave and cook on FULL power for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, or until golden brow. Set aside and allow to cool.
Sift together the flour and salt into a bowl. Dice the butter, add to the bowl and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Stir in the sugar and desiccated coconut, mixing well to combine. Add the eggs and mix again then work in just enough milk to give your batter a soft, dropping, consistency.
Line a 20cm soufflé dish or silicone cake mould with clingfilm) plastic wrap and spoon in the batter. Transfer to your microwave and cook on FULL power for between 5 and 7 minutes (the cake should still be slightly moist on top — it will dry as it cooks from the residual heat of the mixture). As with any cake, it is done when a skewer inserted into the centre emerges cleanly.
Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To decorate and finish: Begin by whipping the cream until it stands in soft peaks. Reserve a few maraschino cherries to garnish, then chop the remainder and mix with 1/3 of the cream.
Split the cake horizontally into two pieces and use the cherry cream to sandwich these back together.
Use half the remaining cream to cover the top and sides of the cake then press the long thread coconut into the sides of the cake.
Spoon the remaining cream into a piping bag fitted with a large star-shaped nozzle and pipe swirls of cream over the top of the cake. Decorate the swirls alternately with one of the reserved cherries. Sit a few cherries in the centre, then slice into wedges and serve.
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