Coconut Cake

Soak the coconut in the milk for at least two hours. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan 150°C, gas mark 3) then grease and line a 20cm round tin.

Cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour, salt and coconut milk mixture and gently mix until all has combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the cake is firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean.

Whilst the cake cools make the buttercream. Place the egg white and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir the mix until the egg white reach 60°c.

Transfer the egg whites and sugar into a stand mixer bowl and beat together until they increase in volume. This typically take 5-10 minutes. Whilst you continue to beat these, add small chunks of the butter and the vanilla extract until they are all incorporated in the bowl. Don't worry if it begins to look curdled it will reform into smooth buttercream.

Spread the buttercream on top of your cake and top with flaked almonds or alternatively dessicated coconut.