We are making the best kind of mess today!
This cake’s construction requires, as Ina Garten would say, ‘a chef’s best tools – clean hands’. And (thankfully) as I’ve matured (cough)…I’ve come to the realization that sometimes we just have to get our hands dirty.
Let’s go back, shall we?
According to my parents, I was not one for messes, not even as a baby girl in her high chair. I’d point out every last crumb on my tray that needed fast action removing, which makes today’s recipe for Toasted Coconut & Almond Crumbly Cake all the more fun [for me].
Crumb is in the title and our hands are required for mixing…talk about an exercise in desensitization.
I was doing a little reading for pleasure recently and stumbled upon a recipe in Anna Del Conte’s, Italian Kitchen, called La Torta Sbrisolona aka Crumbly Cake. It was love at first sight. In her description of the recipe, she paints the picture of her husband munching away and commenting that this cake is not just moreish but once you start eating, you can’t stop.
I was in!
I happened to be in a toasted coconut kind of mood, so I played around with this fun addition, adjusted a couple ingredients, and we were off and running. To toast shredded sweetened coconut, simply put two cups in a non-stick skillet over medium heat for a couple minutes, stirring as you go, until coconut becomes soft and golden.
Now, I must warn you: If you’re looking for a cake with a tender crumb, you’ve come to the wrong place.
This cake is buttery and dense, crunchy and well, crumbly, like the name states.
Soft? Not so much. Delicious? Absolutely.
And don’t you just love a cake that’s baked in one pan?
Though you’ll dirty a couple pans, one to toast the coconut and another to bake the cake; dirty your food processor to crunch up your almonds and mix in some sugar; and grub up your hands to combine yolks and butter with your dry ingredients…it’s nothing we can’t handle. Piece of cake, as they say.
You can enjoy your crumbly cake with a glass of sweet wine or a cup of tea, however, we enjoyed ours with a pipin’ hot mug of coffee to help celebrate Mom’s birthday. And because I know she’s not a ‘huge’ fan of sweet sweets, I thought this might be right up her alley. I think I was right. Because I presented it in crumbles with a shower of confectioner’s sugar on a serving plate vs. neat slices, it was easy to grab bite-sized (or larger) pieces to munch or dunk. I’m pretty certain I saw Mom enjoying herself a crumble or two.
Happiness.
Buon Appetito!
Print
Toasted Coconut & Almond Crumbly Cake
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 9 Tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
- 3/4 cup toasted almonds
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup coarsely ground yellow corn meal
- 2 cups shredded coconut, toasted
- pinch of salt
- 3 egg yolks
- confectioner’s sugar, to dust the top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- With 1 Tbsp. butter, generously butter an 8-inch shallow round cake pan.
- Line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
- Put the almonds in a food processor with 2 Tbsp. of granulated sugar. Process to a coarse powder.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour, corn meal, the remaining granulated sugar, ground almonds, toasted coconut, and salt.
- Add the egg yolks and work with your hands until the mixture is crumbly.
- Add the 8 Tbsp. of butter to mixture to incorporate thoroughly, until the dough sticks together in a crumbly mass.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the pan, pressing it down with your hands.
- Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out dry.
- Turn cake onto a wire rack and peel off the parchment paper. Let cool.
- Before serving, sprinkle the cake with sifted confectioner’s sugar.
Ciao!
Annie! this cake looks amazing, I just wanna grab a glass of milk and have a big slice of it! well done bambina!
Why thank you, my friend! 🙂
Wow does this cake look delicious – AND it combines two of my favorite flavors: almond & coconut – YUM!!! Your photos are so beautiful as well – thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Stephanie! I appreciate your kind words! 🙂
That first photo is like a work of art – simply stunning! This is my kind of cake, Annie! I’m so glad you shared it with us. Please pass along my birthday wishes to your mom. 🙂
Awh! I will pass them along! Thank you, my friend! 🙂
You had me at toasted coconut, girl! This cake looks divine.It sounds similar to a Torta de Santiago (a Spanish almond cake), but better! Def putting this on my to do soon list!
Hey, friend! Happy Birthday!! Your Naked Cake with Raspberry Brigadeiro looked incredible!! Pretty cake for a pretty lady! 🙂
Simply stunning, Annie! Toasted coconut is a love affair of mine, but paired with a buttery, dense, crumb cake? YES! This looks all sorts of delicious! Plus if Mama CCB loved it, obviously this cake is a winner! Pinned! Cheers to a beautiful weekend, lovely lady! Xo
Thank you, Milady! Hope your weekend was a wonderful one!! 🙂
Such a stunning cake- love the decorations! Toasted coconut is one of my favorite flavors 🙂
Mine toooo! Thanks, friend! 🙂
This is such a gorgeous cake, Annie! I love that you used cornmeal in it too, such a fun idea!
Thank you, Danielle! This is a fun one! 🙂
I love this! I must say I’ve never made or even had a cake quite with this type of texture. So you’re a neat freak, hmm? I actually would not have guessed! I had you pinned as a wild, free, flamboyant Italian lass – including in the kitchen! 😉
You are so intuitive, my dear! Thankfully crumbs haven’t been a big deal since, well, since I was sitting in that high chair! Have a happy weekend! 🙂
I happen to love a buttery dense cake and this one certainly is right up my alley too! Happy Birthday, Mom! Cheers to the best kind of birthday mess!
Thank you, Thank you! Cheers to you, hon!
Love the toasted coconut and almond combo, Annie. This looks like the kind of cake that I would love to have a big crumbly slice with a cup of coffee as an afternoon pick me up. Lovely!
Doesn’t the word crumbly make you just a little bit happy? Nothin’ stuffy about this one! Thanks, friend! 🙂
This looks absolutely heavenly, Annie! I love the “best kind of mess” :). That makes me happy! Pinned!!
We don’t mind cleaning the messes for treats like this, do we? Thanks, dear! 🙂
This cake looks so gorgeous, super delicious and the combo is soo good!
Why thank you, Kushi!
This cake is totally worth making a mess for! I think it looks gorgeous! The toasted coconut and almonds sound heavenly! What a delicious cake to celebrate your mom’s birthday too 🙂
It totally is! Thanks, my dear! Happy Weekend! 🙂
Thanks, Amanda! I’m with you on dirty pans…but this is definitely worth getting your hands dirty for!
Oh Annie, I think this is the prettiest crumbly cake I’ve ever seen! Just gorgeous! And that toasted coconut – I’m in heaven! Now all I need is a nice foamy cappuccino 😉
Awhh! Thank you, friend! Don’t you just love toasted coconut?! Ooooh – I say yes to foamy cappuccino! 🙂
This cake is lovely. It would be so great alongside my coffee this morning. And I love that you used cornmeal in the recipe!
Oh yes….so perfect with your morning coffee! Thanks, friend!
This cake looks gorgeous Annie! Love the ingredients! Will be happy to get messy and make it! Pinned 🙂
Thanks, Mira! This is a fun one… 🙂
Oh, oh!! The ingredients, Annie! I would have never thought to have cornmeal, almonds and coconut together, but I love these ingredients and the combination makes my mouth water! Dense, crunchy and crumbly.. sounds like a fabulous cake my dear! I bet your mom loved this! Have a beautiful weekend!
Thanks, my friend….they do come together nicely. And it’s true that once you start eating it’s hard to stop! Have a lovely weekend! 🙂
This is one of the most awesome mess I have every seen. This cake looks so damn delicious and gorgeous. I wouldn’t my hands getting dirty for this deliciousness! 🙂
Why thank you, dear! Mess —-> worth it!! 🙂
I’m not one for getting my hands dirty either, but I agree, sometimes you just got to! This cake looks gorgeous, Annie! I love the coconut and almond combo. I bet this tastes SO good with a big cup of coffee!
It really is perfect with coffee…like your salted caramel latte! Have a lovely weekend, Gayle!