Coconut and lime cake recipe
I didn’t like coconut cakes or buns until I made this. It does include desiccated coconut but the coconut milk brings a richness that compels you to take another bite. It’s one of my favourite cakes.
Timings
Prep time: 20 minutes, plus cooling time
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves
10
Ingredients
245g butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
300g plain flour, sifted
¾ tsp baking powder
50g desiccated coconut
145g soft light-brown sugar
100g coconut palm sugar (or just use all soft light-brown sugar)
200ml tinned coconut milk (be sure to shake the tin so the cream and liquid are blended)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
finely grated zest of 2 limes
For the coconut buttercream
80g unsalted butter
80g icing sugar
50ml coconut cream
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
juice of ½-1 lime, to taste
1 tbsp Malibu or white rum (optional)
toasted or sweetened coconut flakes, to decorate
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/170C fan/gas mark 4.
Butter and base-line a 22 x 11 x 6cm loaf tin.
Put all the dry ingredients for the cake, plus a pinch of salt, into a large bowl.
Mix together the cooled butter, coconut milk, eggs and vanilla extract, and pour into the dry ingredients.
Add the lime zest and mix with a wooden spoon.
Scrape into the prepared tin and bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes (check the cake after 1 hour 15 minutes, as ovens vary so much). A skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then carefully turn it out on to a wire rack (it’s a fragile cake). Leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile, beat together the butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy, then (with the electric stand mixer on a low speed if you’re using one) add the coconut cream.
Beat again, then add the desiccated coconut, lime juice and alcohol, if using.
Scrape into a bowl, cover and chill for about 30 minutes, to allow it to firm.
Spread the buttercream on top of the cake with a palette knife and sprinkle with coconut flakes. Leave somewhere cool so that the topping can set a little before slicing.