Pineapple coconut cakes with pineapple syrup

I heard a song on the radio yesterday that reminded me of my childhood days, when I spent wonderful vacations at my aunt Maisa’s - I used to sing that song while pretending my aunt’s floor polishing machine was a microphone... :) I was 8 back then.

Later on, once I’d started cooking and baking, she’d let me prepare whatever I wanted in her kitchen, savory or sweet – that was so much fun. One of the cakes I used to bake was a simple yellow cake with pineapple slices on the bottom of the pan – everyone loved it. These little cakes reminded me of the one I used to bake at my aunt’s, but are much simpler and equally delicious – the addition of coconut makes them extra special.

Pineapple coconut cakes with pineapple syrup
from Australian Gourmet Traveller

Cakes:
65g unsalted butter, softened
75g caster sugar
1 egg
90ml buttermilk
¾ cup + ½ tablespoon (110g) self-rising flour
1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
¼ cup (25g) sweetened shredded coconut
40g pineapple, finely diced

Pineapple syrup:*
350g pineapple, coarsely chopped
130g caster sugar
3 small limes, juice only
50ml white rum

For pineapple syrup, combine pineapple, sugar, lime juice and ½ cup (120ml) water in a saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until syrupy. Cool, add rum and strain, discarding solids (or eat them, like I did). :)

Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F. Butter and flour ten 1/3 cup (80ml) brioche or dariole pans.
Beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, add egg and buttermilk and beat to combine. Stir in flour, the two types of coconut and pineapple, then spoon mixture into prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and a skewer withdraws clean. Turn cakes from moulds, pour over half the syrup and cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature with remaining syrup.

* too much syrup; half of this amount is enough for all the cakes

Makes 10 – I halved the recipe above and got 12 mini cakes (6 using 3 tablespoon capacity star shaped pans + 6 using 1/3 capacity muffin pans)