Nuncheons: Coconut Cake

Nuncheon (or nuntion) dates back to the era spanning from the Middle Ages to Shakespeare and refers to the extra meal eaten between dinner and supper. During these times, peasants were often promised nuncheons of ale and bread after a hard days work in the field.

Today, I like to call this little spell afternoon tea. While ale and bread do sound somewhat appealing, I'm much more partial to the idea of tea and cake. This afternoon I'll be indulging in this dense coconut cake (recipe below), which is heavy enough to keep me going until dinner time, but light enough to not ruin my appetite.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 125g butter
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 2/3 cup desiccated coconut
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Line baking tin with paper.
   
2. Rub butter into flour and baking powder to resemble breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in sugar and coconut.
4. Gradually stir in eggs and milk.
5. Turn out into tin and bake for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until firm to touch and golden.
6. Cool on wire rack.
   

Coconut cake.p."