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Tropical cake

Fresh pineapple is almost reason enough to head to sunnier climes – tangy slices dripping with juice can be one of the great culinary pleasures of a holiday in the tropics. The pineapples we get here can be a little dry by comparison. For this recipe it’s fine to use tinned pineapple, however, as it is more predictable in the amount of moisture and sweetness it contains. With the coconut and mango, this cake is a real celebration of tropical flavours.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Baking time: 45 minutes

Ready in: 2 hours

Serves: 8–12

250g (9oz) tinned pineapple (drained weight of a 432g tin)

200g (7oz) soft light brown sugar

225g (8oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

3 eggs

125g (4½oz) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

100g (3½oz) desiccated coconut

1 large mango, peeled and sliced, to decorate

For the icing

250g (9oz) mascarpone

50g (2oz) icing sugar, sifted

23cm (9in) square cake tin with 5cm (2in) sides

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then butter the sides of the cake tin and dust with flour and line the base with a square of baking parchment.

Place the pineapple in a food processor and whiz for a minute or two until puréed, then put into a saucepan with the sugar. Set over a low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the mixture turns a light brown colour. Then set aside and allow to cool.

Beat the cooled pineapple purée with the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for just a few seconds until mixed, then gradually add the eggs to the pineapple and butter mixture, beating continuously. Sift in the flour, add the coconut and fold in gently to combine.

Tip the batter into the prepared tin, then bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for about 20 minutes, then use a small, sharp knife to loosen the edges and carefully remove the cake from the tin before leaving on a wire rack to cool down completely.

To make the icing, whisk together the mascarpone and icing sugar, then spread over the cooled cake using a palette knife and finish by decorating with the sliced mango.