Coconut plumcake with chocolate heart

/5

PRESENTATION

A plumcake al cocco is just right for any time of day, especially if you’re into a soft, moist cake with a little surprise. This version’s special, for sure, because of the hidden cuore di cioccolato smack in the middle. Just when you think you know what you're biting into, boom—gooey chocolate center. It adds a whole new level of delight. In the UK, these simple loaf cakes are breakfast or snack-time favorites. But, this one? Stands out with its ricetta plumcake twist: coconut woven through the batter, making it a little sweet and a lot more fun.

The combo of coconut and chocolate is always, you know, spot on. Providing a really tender crumb with that smooth, melty chocolate spot. It's the kind of treat you find on the table in the morning next to a mug of milk or sliced up for an afternoon break. Some folks switch it up—try a cocoa cake with coconut filling instead. But this version lets the coconut shine while the cuore di cioccolato adds that rich touch.

You can rave about dessert al cioccolato or plumcake soffice all day, but once you try a slice of this, you’ll get why it’s a fave. The golden outside and soft inside give you that classic dolce al cocco vibe. And the surprise chocolate? Makes it a little event every time you cut in. No set rules here—some prefer it with coffee, others dip it in milk, and many just grab a piece whenever. Seriously good.

It’s a great example of a plumcake fatto in casa that feels both old-school and fresh. Especially with that color and flavor contrast. Whether you stick with this version or flip it for the reversed filling idea, you're in for something tasty and a bit different from the usual snack cake. This cake is more than a treat; it’s a small adventure with every bite. And the sauce? There isn’t one. Just pure yum.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for a 10x4 inch loaf pan
Dehydrated coconut ¾ cup (80 g)
Type 00 flour 2 ¾ cups (350 g)
Butter 6.7 oz (190 g)
Eggs 3 - (medium)
Sugar 1 cup (200 g)
Whole milk 0.67 cup (150 g)
Unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ cup (20 g)
Baking soda ½ tsp
Baking powder 3 ½ tsp (16 g)
Fine salt 1 pinch
for garnish
Dehydrated coconut 0.67 cup (50 g)
Preparation

How to prepare Coconut plumcake with chocolate heart

To make the coconut plumcake with a chocolate heart, place the softened butter in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk 1, add the sugar 2 and start the machine to obtain a smooth cream. Add the eggs 3 one at a time while continuing to whip the mixture.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, rehydrate 3 oz of coconut in the milk 4, sift the flour and baking powder and incorporate them into the cream one spoonful at a time 5, also add the baking soda and a pinch of salt while continuing to mix. Then add the rehydrated coconut 6.

When the batter is well combined, take 3.5 oz of the mixture and add the sifted cocoa 7, this batter will be the chocolate heart, transfer it into a 10x4 inch loaf pan greased and lined with parchment paper 8, bake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for 15 minutes (if using a convection oven, bake at 300°F for 5-8 minutes); it should not be fully cooked. Once baking is complete, remove it from the oven 9 and let it cool before removing it from the pan.

In the same loaf pan, pour half of the remaining batter 10, cut the dark batter in half lengthwise 11 and place it in the center of the pan 12.

Cover with the remaining white batter. Sprinkle the surface of the plumcake with 1.75 oz of coconut 13 and bake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for 50 minutes or in a convection oven at 300°F for 40 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven 14, let it cool slightly, then remove the coconut plumcake with a chocolate heart from the pan, place it on a serving dish, and serve it sliced 15.

Storage

Store the coconut plumcake with a chocolate heart under a glass dome for 2-3 days. You can freeze the baked plumcake or the raw batter and put it directly in the oven from frozen; in this case, the baking times will be longer.

Advice

Do you like the idea of the heart? Have fun creating new combinations with batters of different flavors, or alternate colors and create a coconut heart in a chocolate plumcake. With the leftover dark part, you can cut delicious cubes to enjoy as a snack!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.