Lime Coconut Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Summer calls for fresh bright flavors and when it comes to dessert with company, a lime coconut cake with coconut cream cheese frosting will hit the spot.
This cake takes a bit of time with all the components to make, but a nice way to finish a summer evening without being overly sweet.
Lime Coconut Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Lime and coconut sing a summer dessert with bright fresh flavor.
Equipment
- Two 8" cake round pans
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup desiccated medium sweetened coconut
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup shortening or salted/ unsalted butter
- 2 egg yolks – reserve other 2 egg yolks for curd
- Juice of ½ lime
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 egg whites
- 1 1/3 cup buttermilk
Lime Curd
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons lime zest
- 2 egg yolks
- zest of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 1 8oz. packages cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar or more to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons desiccated medium sweetened coconut toasted
Garnish
- 3 tablespoons desiccated medium sweetened coconut toasted
- Lime zest to garnish
Instructions
Lime Coconut Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Lay parchment circle on the bottom of the two 8” round cake pans, grease and set aside.
- Stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lime zest for cake and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening and 2 egg yolks with an electric mixer at high speed for about 3-5 minutes until light in color and increased in volume.
- Add sugar and vanilla and beat for 1 minute until well combined
- Beat egg whites individually into the cake batter.
- Add flour mixture and buttermilk in half alternating portions, add lime juice and beat on low speed until just combined.
- Pour cake batter into greased pans.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cake to room temperature before assembly.
Lime Curd
- Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small pot or saucepan, whisk water in slowly. Over medium heat, stir the mixture until it thickens and comes to a boil.
- Boil and stir constantly with whisk for 1 minute and remove the pan from the heat.
- Add egg yolk and whisk quickly until combined.
- Put pot back onto medium heat and whisk until mixture continues to thicken.
- Remove pot from heat and stir in the butter, lime juice and lime zest.
- Cool lime curd (which will thicken) especially if placed into fridge.
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- In large mixing bowl, whip softened butter and softened cream cheese until mixed and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and icing sugar and beat the frosting until mixed. Add
- Add the coconut and vanilla extracts
- Slowly add the powdered sugar, desiccated coconut and lime juice beating until smooth. Ensure the frosting is not overwhipped, as the frosting will continue to soften with additional whipping (can be corrected by cooling in the fridge).
Cake Assembly
- Lay one layer of the cake to the plate.
- Spoon and spread a thin layer of lime curd.
- Add generous layer of Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add second layer of cake on top.
- Spoon and spread a thin layer of lime curd.
- Add generous layer of Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- Garnish with desiccated coconut and lime zest
- Serve or store in fridge covered until ready.