This is a simple cake to make but completely delicious. The moist perfect crumb of the cake is easy to achieve and the delicate flavour of lime and coconut marry beautifully. I think the grated coconut cream is part of the reason for the beautiful texture and moistness. Soft Italian meringue buttercream is divinely rich, and zingy.

Coconut & Lime cake with strawberries

Cake ingredients

200gr caster sugar

200gr butter at room temperature

4 free range eggs

200gr self-raising flour

1 tsp. baking powder

Zest and juice of 1 lime

200gr block of creamed coconut

Toasted desiccated or flaked coconut to garnish.

Method:

• Pre heat the oven to 175C.
• Grease the base and sides of 2 x 9in cake tins and line the base with a disk of parchment paper for good measure.
• Sift together the flour and baking powder.
• Using the spade attachment of an electric mixer beat the butter and lime zest until light and fluffy.
• Then add the sugar and beat some more.
• Add the eggs one at a time beating well and scraping down he sides between each addition.
• Add the creamed coconut and lime juice and mix again until the mix is smooth, light and creamy.
• Fold in the flour, ensuring there are no lumps.
• Divide the mixture between the two cake tins, spreading evenly from the centre out to try and prevent it doming.
• Bake until a skewer comes out clean, for around 20 to 25 minutes.

Buttercream

2 egg whites from free range eggs (at room temperature)

40gr sugar

Pinch of salt

135 gr sugar

Juice of one lime (roughly 60 ml)

225gr diced butter at room temperature

Method:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 135gr sugar and limejuice. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat a little and cook the syrup until it reaches 120˚C — soft ball.
• While the sugar is cooking, using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form add a pinch of salt and the 40gr Sugar
• When the syrup reaches the desired temperature, take the pan off the heat and, quickly pour in the hot syrup away from the whisk.
• Immediately turn mixer back on increasing to full speed, mix on high until the mixture is glossy and the meringue has cooled to room temperature.
• Keep mixing and start adding the softened butter, cube by cube, until all the butter has been added and the buttercream is gorgeously smooth and thick. NOTE: the buttercream may look like it’s curdling at some point. Don’t worry about it and just keep mixing until it’s smooth and fluffy. Use at room temperature.
• Spread 1/3 of the icing over one layer of the cake, cover with circles of thinly sliced strawberry.
• Place the second cake on top with the most even surface facing up.
• Spread the remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake, (I prefer to do the sides first then scrape so the sides are visible but between the layers is full with icing).
• Then I coat the top of the cake with my remaining icing, spread evenly or fluffy — whichever look you prefer.
• Decorate with the toasted coconut. Serve at room temperature.

If you want to contact Mercy email info@wickeddesserts.ie