Ingredients
- Make the lemon curd:
- makes one two-layer, 8" cake
- Lemon curd
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 . Boil the lemon juice, sugar, and butter in a medium sauce pan
- 2 . Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl
- 3 . Pour 1/2 a cup of the lemon mixture into the eggs and whisk together. Add the egg mixture back into the pan with the lemon juice
- Cover and Cool in the refrigerator until ready to assemble cake.
- Cake
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour, (measure, then sift)
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 5 large egg whites
- 16 oz. sweetened coconut flakes
Preparation
Step 1
Make the Cake:
4. Preheat oven to 350degreesF. Lightly grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
5. . Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and oil and mix until small pea sized balls form. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until smooth
6. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until medium peaks form (this will take 4-5 minutes by hand; 1 to 2 minutes if you are using an electric mixer with a whip attachment).
7. . Fold the whipped whites into the batter (you should not be able to see any whites and the batter should look light and fluffy).
8. Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
9. Let the cake cool, then unmold.
Frosting
(8 oz) cream cheese (not whipped)
half a stick unsalted butter
4 cups confectioners sugar
½ cup milk
Make the Frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until soft. Add the confectioners sugar, blending in 1 cup at a time. Add the milk slowly, as needed, and mix until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Assemble the cake:
1. Slice the cake into three layers with a long serrated knife.
2. Reserve the bottom layer. Place another layer on a serving plate. Using a pastry bag, pipe circles of lemon curd on the top using half the curd. Place second cake layer on top of first and repeat with remaining lemon curd. Top with the reserved bottom layer.
3. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to allow the cake to setup
4. Ice the outside of the cake with the frosting.
5. Gently apply coconut to the top and sides of the cake. The frosting will act as a glue to hold the coconut.
Cut and serve