Key Lime Coconut Cake

By Laken

via Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 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 (or just add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to all purpose.)
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup fresh Key lime juice, divided
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon rum (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously butter an 8- by 8-inch square or 9- by 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper.

Toast coconut in a small baking pan in oven, stirring once or twice, until golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool. Leave oven on.

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

Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool to warm, then turn out of pan and discard parchment.

Whisk together confectioners sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and rum (if using, if not use milk) and pour over cake. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.