This cake is to die for! Moist white cake and mouth-puckering lime curd is an awesome combo. The addition of grated fresh coconut and rum-spiked whipped cream makes this a truly decadent and special cake.
To grate fresh coconut, poke the coconut in its soft “eye”. (There are two small round dents on one end of the coconut. Try poking both to determine which is the soft one). Drain the milk from the coconut and you can always spoon some over the cooked cake to keep it moist. Smash the coconut with a hammer or other heavy object until it cracks open (or into large pieces). Grate the white meat side of the coconut pieces on a box grater. Yield is 8 servings.
ingredients
Cake
Lime Curd
Cream
Assembly
directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl to blend.
Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, whip sugar and butter on medium-high for 5 minutes or until fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the vanilla.
Alternately beat in 1/3 of the milk and vanilla mixture and then 1/3 flour mixture into butter mixture until all of it is combined.
Divide batter equally among pans.
Bake until a tester inserted into centre of cakes comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Cool completely.
Combine sugar, salt, egg yolks, lime zest and lime juice in a medium stainless steel bowl and place it over a medium pot of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap and cool.
Whip the cream and sugar in an electric mixer until medium peaks hold.
Stir in the rum.
Cut the cakes in half crosswise.
Put a cake layer on a cake plate.
Spread a layer of lime curd on top.
Top with the second layer and spread with more curd.
Repeat with the remaining layers and the remaining curd, ending with a cake layer.
Cover the cake completely with the cream and press the grated coconut all over the cake.