Coconut Lime Cake

Step 1

For the Coconut Lime Cake

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour three 8×2 inch round pans.

Step 4

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, lime zest and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside

Step 6

In another bowl, add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla.  Set aside..

Step 8

In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes or until lightened in color and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.

Step 10

Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid).

Step 12

Do not mix above medium speed or over mix the cake batter.

Step 14

Bake at 350 degrees for 22 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes and turn out.

Step 16

For the Lime Simple SyrupIn a saucepan over medium heat bring the water and sugar to a boil. Turn the heat to low and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear.

Step 18

Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Cool. If you want the mixture to be a thicker consistency, cook longer over low heat.

Step 20

Brush a small amount of the syrup onto your cake layers before you begin assembling your cake. Apply sparingly so that the cake does not become soggy. We apply while the cakes are still warm but you could also do this with the cakes at room temp just before assembling. We prefer to use a pastry brush. With lime juice added to the mixture it will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. You will likely have leftover syrup.

Step 22

For the Lime Curd FillingCombine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan, pour in water.  Over medium heat, stir the mixture constantly until it thickens and comes to a boil.  Boil for 1 minute, remove the pan from the heat.

Step 24

Spoon approximately 1/4 cup of the hot mixture into a small bowl containing the egg yolk and stir quickly until combined.

Step 26

Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan. Return pan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.  The mixture will thicken slightly.

Step 28

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, lime juice and lime zest.  Cool before using, the curd will become thicker as it cools in the refrigerator.

Step 30

Can be covered and refrigerated for 5 days.

Step 32

*Note that we sprinkled the top of the curd with some flaked coconut.

Step 34

For the Coconut Cream Cheese FrostingAdd the butter to the mixing bowl and mix until smooth.

Step 36

Add the cream cheese that has been cut into small to medium size pieces, beating with the butter until well blended and smooth.

Step 38

Add the coconut and vanilla extracts

Step 40

Slowly add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Do not beat above medium speed or for too long. The longer you beat the softer the frosting becomes. If it becomes too soft to pipe, just refrigerate for a short while.

Step 42

Use the frosting while it is still chilled. If it becomes too soft, refrigerate until it firms up a bit or put in the freezer for 5 minutes or so to return it to a good piping consistency.

Step 44

Assembly

Step 45

Place the first layer on a cake base or pedestal.

Step 47

Preferably using a pastry brush, brush the top of the cake with lime simple syrup.

Step 49

Pipe a dam of coconut cream cheese frosting (using a piping bag with the tip snipped away). Pipe a ring of the frosting about 1/4 inch from the edge of the cake. Fill inside of the dam with the lime curd filling and sprinkle with coconut.

Step 51

Add the next layer and repeat. Then add the final layer, brush with the lime simple syrup, and frost the cake with coconut cream cheese frosting.

Step 53

As a final step, press flaked coconut all over the cake, into the frosting to cover the cake.

Step 55

I used a large french piping tip (8B) to pipe stars around the top edge of the cake. *Note that you may need to brush away coconut in the spots where you will pipe your stars as it is difficult to make it adhere otherwise.

Step 57

Gently push tiny slices of lime into the frosting stars, or add lime accents to the center of the cake.