We’re thinking outside the coconut cream pie this spring. As temperatures heat up, we’re baking this tropical treasure into everything from chutney-laden popovers and pound cakes to scones and strudel. Whether using coconut flakes, milk, oil, or extract, this versatile ingredient takes any baking project to that palm tree-covered island in the sun.
Forget cinnamon, food writer and cookbook author Ben Mims’ Coconut Buns are the best breakfast treat around. Enriched with coconut milk and oil in the dough and filled with a sweetened, toasted coconut butter, this recipe is for the serious coconut lover.
This sheet cake is our answer to those Italian Cream Cake cravings when time is short. Each bite crunches with buttery pecans and sweet coconut flakes, complemented by a swooping layer of whipped cream on top.
3. Black Bottom Coconut Cream Tart
Tall peaks of toasted marshmallow fluff hide the layers of coconut pastry cream and dark chocolate ganache that fill the homemade graham cracker crust of this decadent tart.
4. Coconut Popovers with Mango Chutney
The coconut in these popovers lends a sweetness that pairs well with curries and other spicy dishes. Pair it with our recipe for Ben Mims’ fruity Mango Chutney for an extra boost of tropical flavor.
