Rhubarb, Vanilla and Nutmeg Cakes with Cream cheese Icing and Coconut

Rhubarb, Vanilla and Nutmeg Cakes with Cream cheese Icing and Coconut

1 apple, grated

squeeze of lemon

180g rhubarb, chopped

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g plain flour

50g ground almonds

60g castor sugar

60g coconut sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

pinch salt

75g canola oil

50g butter, melted

1 1/2 eggs, beaten

Icing:

50g softened butter

125g cream cheese

300g icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut. 

Pre-heat oven to 175c. Grease and flour a 12 hole muffin tray. 

Place the grated apple in a pan with the lemon and cook fro about 3 minutes, until it has softened. Set aside. PLace the chopped rhubarb, honey and vanilla in a heat proof bowl with 2 tbsp of water, and place a plate over the top of the bowl. Put in the microwave for 1 minute bursts, until the rhubarb is quite tender, but not to soft. Set aside. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. In a jug, whisk together the oil, melted butter and egg and beat to combine. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the apple and rhubarb. Divide batter evenly between the muffin holes and bake for about 18 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

To make the icing, beat together the butter and icing sugar for about 3 minutes or until combined. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and beat for about 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Spread around the outside of each cooled back, with the top of the cake facing the bottom (upside down) and then roll in the coconut (you will have some coconut left over but its easier to coat them neatly when you have a big amount to roll it in.) Decorate with toppings of your choice, for mine I just made some stewed rhubarb, so just follow the same method to prepare it as you did to make the rhubarb for inside the cakes above.