Jam and Coconut Sponge Recipe
This easy gluten free jam and coconut sponge cake is such a joy to make and eat. A soft gluten free sponge packed with coconut and topped with jam - just like school dinners! Easy to make dairy free too - see the notes on ingredients for swaps.
Servings: 16 squares
Equipment
Ingredients
- 225 g unsalted butter (or dairy free margarine like Stork)
- 225 g caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 225 g gluten free self-raising flour (see recipe notes if using a plain flour blend)
- 2 tbsp milk (use dairy free if needed)
- 75 g desiccated coconut
For the topping:
- 130 g smooth raspberry jam (or strawberry jam if you prefer)
- 30 g desiccated coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C Fan / Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 20cm (8-inch) square baking tin and set aside while you make the mix.
- Add the butter (or margarine) and sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and creamy.
- Crack the eggs into the mixture and briefly whisk again to combine. Don't worry if it separates - this will be rectified when we add the flour!
- Add gluten free flour, desiccated coconut and milk to the mixture and beat again until it forms a thick batter. Be careful not to overmix - just ensure it is combined with no lumps of flour.
- Pour the batter into the lined cake tin, spread it out evenly and smooth the top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed, or a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before removing it from the tin.
- Add the jam to a bowl and zap it in the microwave for about 10 seconds to make it a little runnier, stirring well afterwards.
- Evenly spread the jam over the cake while it’s still warm, then sprinkle evenly with the coconut and cut into 16 even squares. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- Serving Suggestion: This cake is at its best when eaten warm with custard. For bonus points, add a couple of drops of pink food colouring to the custard for that proper school dinner vibe. It is also equally as delicious cold!
- Storing: Once cooled, keep this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze it - see the blog post above for my top tips.
- Weighing Scales vs Cups: You can toggle this recipe card to convert the ingredients into cups/imperial. However, I always recommend using weighing scales – these are cheap to buy and much more accurate. And in gluten free baking, a tiny variation can make a huge difference!
- Step-by-Step Photos: If you prefer a visual aid, check out the post above for photos to guide you through how this recipe should look at each stage.
- Like this Recipe? It would mean SO much to me if you could leave a 5* rating and a little comment sharing how much you loved this Coconut Jam Sponge! It really helps to support my website and get my recipes out there to everyone who needs them! xx
Nutrition
Serving: 1 square | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g
