SOFT & MOIST | SWEET TREAT
Sri Lankan Bibikkan is like the tropical cousin of fruitcake, but way more delicious! It’s a super moist coconut cake packed with spices, kithual treacle, and dried fruits like raisins or chopped dates. The star of the show is freshly grated coconut, which gives it that rich, nutty flavor.
We’re going to make this recipe even more simple, by swapping out the kithual treacle with brown sugar and just using pitted dates! We’ll start with melting the brown sugar into a syrup and mixing it with spiced-up coconut, flour, and all those juicy dates. The batter is baked until it’s golden brown and your kitchen smells like a holiday.
It’s the perfect tea-time snack or festive treat, especially during Christmas or Sinhala New Year. Pro tip: Let it sit for a day or two—it gets even better as the flavors settle in!
Bibikkan | Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 150g of pitted dates
- 2 tea bags
- 1⁄2 cup of water
- 4-5 cloves
- 4-5 cardamon seeds
- 300g of brown sugar
- 300g grated coconut
- 2 tbsp of butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 150 g All purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1⁄2 tsp Baking soda
- 1⁄4 tsp Salt
- 1⁄2 cup of chopped cashews
Directions
- Start by brewing the tea: bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil with 2 tea bags.
- While the tea steeps, chop the pitted dates and pour the hot tea over them to soften. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- In a pan, heat the brown sugar over low heat until it begins to melt. Stir in the grated coconut, along with the cardamom pods and cloves (bruised with a mortar and pestle).
- Next, add the softened dates, including any leftover tea, and mix well over low heat. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Once the brown sugar mixture has cooled slightly, stir in the eggs, vanilla extract, and butter.
- Gradually fold in the flour mixture into the batter until it is smooth and well combined.
- Divide the batter into parchment-lined 8-inch pans, filling each about 3/4 of the way.
- Top with chopped cashews.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the baked goods cool before serving. Enjoy!
