A decadent coconut caramel layer cake, topped with cream cheese icing – a sweet addition to any event.

Bertrand Jang, owner of Sweet & Me Bakery, has served up a classic sponge cake and taken it to the next level.

Filled with layers of velvety Anchor Cream Cheese, toasted coconut and caramel, this cake is a simple yet impressive dessert to enjoy with friends and family.

Bertrand Jang, owner of Sweet & Me Bakery Auckland. Photo / Supplied.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

190g	Anchor Butter, soften
1 ½ cups	caster sugar
3	eggs
1 tsp	vanilla essence
2 cups	self raising flour
½ tsp	cinnamon
pinch	salt
½ cup	desiccated coconut
¼ cup	Anchor Blue™ Milk

To decorate:

1 cup

toasted coconut flakes

For the caramel sauce:

1 cup	caster sugar
¼ cup	water
½ cup	Anchor Butter
½ cup	Anchor Cream
1 tsp	vanilla bean extract
Pinch	sea salt

For the cream cheese butter icing:

120g	Anchor Original Cream Cheese
100g	Anchor Butter
2 cups	icing sugar
1 tsp	vanilla bean extract

Method

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 160ºC fan bake. In a stand mixer, whisk Anchor Butter and sugar until pale.
2. Add eggs gradually and whisk for a further 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides midway.
3. Remove from bowl and sift in flour, cinnamon and salt, ensuring to not overmix.
4. Add coconut, vanilla essence, Anchor Blue™ Milk, and stir until just combined.
5. Divide batter into 2x 8 inch trays (20cm in diameter) and bake for 18-20minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool for 1 hour before decorating.

For the caramel sauce:

1. Add sugar and water to deep saucepan, allow it to dissolve slowly, stirring occasionally.
2. Let it gently bubble for about 10 minutes until it caramelises and turns a beautiful amber colour.
3. Remove from the heat, then add the Anchor Butter, Anchor Cream, vanilla and salt, stirring until you have a rich caramel sauce.
4. Set the mixture aside to cool and then pour into a glass jar to cool completely. It will be thin at first, but will thicken as it cools.

For the cream cheese icing:

1. Combine Anchor Original Cream Cheese, Anchor Butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat it for 4-5 minutes until smooth, light and creamy (scrape the bowl down once or twice).

To assemble the cake:

1. Place one cake onto your serving platter. Spread generously with half the cream cheese icing. Drizzle with half the caramel sauce, reserving the remainder for serving.
2. Place the second cake on top. Spread over with remaining icing, then sprinkle over the toasted coconut.
3. The cake can be assembled a day in advance. The flavours only get better.

NOTE
You can also make this icing with a hand-held mixer and a large bowl.