Coconut Lime Cake with Meringue Frosting

By rmulleni

Mmmm. Reminds me of a trip to the Caribbean with the lime cake and meringue frosting, with toasted coconut on top.

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup skim coconut milk
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• LIME CURD
• 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• MERINGUE FROSTING
• 7 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon each: vanilla, golden rum (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract only)
• GARNISH
• 1 1/2 cups grated coconut
• Fresh limes

Details

Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 30mins
Adapted from tatyanaseverydayfood.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray sides with non-stick spray.

Place butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla into mixer bowl and whisk until well combined.

Sift together flour and baking powder; add salt. Add flour alternating with coconut milk; mix on medium speed until well incorporated, do not over mix!

Divide cake batter evenly between two cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove cakes from cake pan and set onto wire rack to cool completely before slicing in half.

To prepare lime curd: place lime juice, sugar and eggs into small saucepan. Whisk together then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens into jelly like consistency. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until completely melted. Cover and set aside.

For meringue frosting: place egg whites into mixer bowl and let stand. Combine sugar and water in small saucepan and heat over medium heat until syrup reaches 240F. When syrup is reaching required temperature, turn mixer on and whisk egg whites until soft peaks form.

Pour syrup in thin stream, whisking egg whites on high speed. Add vanilla and rum. Continue whisking for 5-7 minutes until frosting as cooled and is thick and glossy. Use frosting immediately.

To assemble cake, transfer a quarter of the frosting into a pastry bag. Slice cake layers in half. Spread thin layer of frosting, pipe barrier ring of frosting around the edge of the layer, add 1/3 of the lime curd and top with next layer. Use remaining frosting to frost outside of cake.

For toasted coconut: spread onto a baking sheet and bake in oven set to 400F for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Use hand to gently press coconut into meringue frosting on the sides of cake. Garnish with lime wedges. Alternatively, sprinkle coconut onto the entire cake.

Refrigerate cake for a few hours before serving to allow frosting and lime curd to set.