Coconut cake with cardamom

This recipe was inspired by the traditional Greek coconut cake with syrup. We just couldn't resist the idea of adding a little bit of cardamom.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, separated
- Pinch salt
- ⅔ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 1½ cup flour
- 4 Tbsp baking powder
- 1½ cup grated, unsweetened coconut
- 4-5 Tbsp grated, unsweetened coconut, for garnish
Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1½ Tbsp. vanilla extract
Method
-
1
Place all the syrup ingredients in a bowl and bring to a boil. Reduce 7-8 minutes and set aside.
-
2
Preheat oven to 350°F.
-
3
Beat the egg whites until they form firm peaks. -
4
In a different bowl, beat egg yolks with butter and sugar. Add milk and stir. Incorporate the flour and baking powder, then the coconut. -
5
Gently fold the egg whites into the mixture with a spatula. -
6
Lightly butter and flour a Bundt pan. -
7
Transfer the batter to the mold and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the cake is golden brown. -
8
Immediately pour the syrup onto the cake and let stand 5 minutes before removing. -
9
Garnish with grated coconut.