Lumberjack Cake: the delicious recipe for an old-fashioned cake

Made from apples and dates and topped with caramelized shredded coconut, lumberjack cake is a wonderfully moist cake with an almost pudding-like texture. It's rich and dense, packed with incredible flavor and a toothsome sweetness. This delicious cake is popular in Australia, but people all over the world are fans of its wonderful sweetness and amazing flavor. Lumberjack cake is a fantastic dessert to serve after a home cooked meal but can also be enjoyed with a cup of tea in the afternoon, or packed into lunches.

What is a Lumberjack Cake?

Lumberjack cake is an old-fashioned cake that gets its name from the fact the coconut topping looks like wood chips. Its main flavor comes from apples, dates, and shredded coconut, and it has a fairly sweet taste and moist, rich texture.

How to Make Lumberjack Cake

Lumberjack cake is easy to make. Start by mixing grated apple and chopped dates with boiling water and baking soda. This helps to soften up the dates. The main cake batter is similar to most cake batters, featuring a mixture of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. From there, you'll fold the wet and dry ingredients together and bake your cake. As the cake bakes in the oven, make the topping. Simply combine butter, milk, sugar, and coconut together, then dust it over the top of the cake and bake it to caramelize the coconut.

Tips for Making Lumberjack Cake

– Don't overmix your batter.

– You'll know your cake is ready to be taken out when it's springy to touch.

– If you don't have a cake pan handy, you can make lumberjack cake muffins instead. Bake the muffins for 30 minutes, add the topping, then bake for another 30 minutes.

– For a tasty spin on this classic, you can add baking spices, chocolate chips, or stem ginger to your cake batter.

– You can make lumberjack cake up to a day in advance.

– Shredded coconut is the classic topping for a lumberjack cake. You can also make it without the topping.

– Granny Smith apples are the best choice for your lumberjack cake. Their tartness balances out the sweetness of the dates and sugar.

How to Store Lumberjack Cake

To keep your lumberjack cake fresh, wrap it or put it in an airtight container. Store it at room temperature and enjoy it within 2 to 3 days.

Can I Freeze Lumberjack Cake?

Absolutely! Place your lumberjack cake in an airtight container and freeze it for up to 2 months.

How to Make Lumberjack Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a round cake pan.

Grate apples and place them in a large bowl.

Add the baking soda.

Place dates.

Stir in the boiling water.

Whisk sugar and melted butter to combine.

Stir in the egg and vanilla.

Add in the apple mixture.

Sift in flour and baking powder.

Fold the ingredients until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.

While the cake is baking, combine the butter, sugar, milk, and coconut in a bowl.

Remove the cake from the oven and spread the topping over the cake in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely. Garnish with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

Almond milk, soy milk, cashew milk, and other non-dairy milk can be used instead of whole cow's milk.

An 8 or 9-inch cake pan is perfect for this recipe.