Words: Recipe extracted from Good Vibes by Alby Hailes

Here the cake is baked and then returned to the oven after adding the coconut topping, with the liquid soaking into the cake to make it incredibly moist.

This cake is best served on the day of baking, but is still very delicious on all the days after.

hands-on time 20 mins
total time 1 hour 30 mins
serves 12

Cake batter:
165ml canola oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice (about 100ml) of 4 limes
100g caster sugar
50g soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
210g unsweetened natural Greek-style coconut yoghurt
265g plain flour
85g ground almonds
50g desiccated coconut
3 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm chunks (about 180g)

Caramelised coconut topping:
100g coconut chips
65g soft brown sugar
50g vegan butter or spread
60ml coconut cream
finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Grease a 23cm round springform tin and line with baking paper.

To make the cake, whisk the oil, vinegar, lime zest, juice, caster sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well combined. Gently stir in the coconut yoghurt. In a separate large bowl, whisk the flour, ground almonds, coconut, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt until evenly combined. Make a well in the centre and pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix together until smooth and no specks of flour remain. Finally, fold the chopped apples into the batter until evenly distributed. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the top.

Bake for 40 minutes, until the cake is only just baked through (a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out just clean). Make the caramelised coconut topping as the cake is baking. Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the butter has melted and is just starting to bubble.

To finish the cake, remove from the oven and spoon the warm caramelised coconut topping evenly over the surface to completely cover. Drizzle any of the remaining liquid in the pan around the outer edge of the cake. Return to the oven and bake for a further 15–20 minutes, until the top of the coconut topping is a gorgeous deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Leave to cool for 15 minutes before removing the sides of the tin. Leave to cool completely at room temperature.

For serving, transfer to a cake stand or plate. It’s best eaten on the day, but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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Recipes extracted from Good Vibes by Alby Hailes (HarperCollins NZ, HB, RRP $55) Photography credit: Aaron McLean.