Key Lime Coconut Cake

Photo Courtesy of « Pixelated Crumb

key lime coconut cake « Pixelated Crumb

Lime Coconut Cake

Adapted from Gourmet via Smitten Kitchen

The recipe says that the coconut toasts to a nice golden color in 8-12 minutes, but my first batch was past golden and well into brown when I checked on it after 4 minutes. My second batch was perfect at 3 minutes. My oven thermometer showed that the temperature was actually just under 350F, so I’m dubious about the 8-12 minutes. Better to check often because you can always cook it longer.

I lost track of how many key limes I ended up using, but it was certainly more than I expected. I probably used around 12-14 total. They’re little, so you don’t get much juice out of each one!
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated Key lime zest
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour*
3/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespooons fresh key lime juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Lime Glaze:
2 tablespoons fresh key lime juice
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon rum (optional)

Topping:
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
*You can make your own self-rising flour: For every cup of flour, add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking powder, whisk together very well and sift. Measure your self-rising flour from there.

Preheat oven to 350F with a rack positioned in middle. Generously butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.

Toast all of your coconut (1 cup total) in a small baking pan in the oven, stirring once or twice, until golden, about 3 minutes. Let the coconut cool. Leave the oven on.

Beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and zest with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir together the flour and 1/2 cup coconut (reserve remainder for topping). Stir together the milk, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and the vanilla. At low speed, mix the flour and milk mixtures into the egg mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour.

Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes , then turn onto a cooling rack and discard the parchment. Cool completely.

Whisk together the confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and rum (if using) and pour over cake. Sprinkle with remaining toasted coconut.

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Many thanks « Pixelated Crumb!