Over the long weekend we ticked off the final items on the twin’s school to-do checklist. School is now less than a week away. I am not ready. They however,seem to be ready which is a relief. Where has time flown away? I wish I could hold on to the next few days and make them last a bit longer. Or tuck away the sound of their laughter and endless innocent conversations in a safe place to be treasured forever.
We were blessed with great weather yesterday after a sizzling 38 degrees C on Sunday. Since we didn’t go out anywhere, just sitting together over a small barbecue lunch while watching the rain made perfect sense. Deep inside,I knew such occasions wouldn’t come by as easily and frequently as our lives begin to embrace routines in a bigger sense in future. We had this cake for dessert. I haven’t baked a lot this month and have been mainly creating frozen recipes so it was a refreshing change to be able to switch on the oven and do things that are more therapeutic for me.
What I like about this cake is that it combines simple, every day flavors and turns them into something totally delicious and refreshing. The cake batter has been infused with lemon zest for a citrus flavor and mixed with desiccated coconut for texture. Sandwiched between the layers are strawberry jam and lemon Swiss meringue buttercream. Then it is frosted with more buttercream, covered in flaked coconut, topped with fresh strawberries and drizzled with strawberry sauce (made by diluting the jam itself) The cake is moist and soft with a crunch from the coconut and the flavours nicely balance each other out. As you can see, I have put a thin layer of frosting in between the cake layers because I don’t give the boys a lot of richly frosted cake. But you will have enough buttercream left with this recipe to apply a thicker layer if you choose to.
Lemon, Coconut and Strawberry Cake
Serves 10-12
375 g butter, softened
2 tbsp lemon zest
11/2 cup castor sugar
43 cups self-raising flour
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
11/2 cup coconut milk (can use regular milk)
1/2 cup strawberry jam+ 3 tbsp to make strawberry sauce
lemon Swiss meringue buttercream (recipe below)
1 cup flaked coconut (unsweetened)
Fresh strawberries to decorate
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C ( 160 degrees C for fan-forced). Grease and line the base of three 7 inch round cake pan with baking paper.
Place butter, lemon zest and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add half the flour and coconut. Stir to combine. Add half the milk. Stir to combine. Repeat with remaining flour, coconut and milk.
Divide the mixture between the prepared pan. Bake for 45- 55 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Once cakes have cooled completely, frost the cake. Place one layer onto a cake plate or stand. Spread 1/2 the strawberry jam all over the base. Dollop or pipe some of buttercream on top of the strawberry jam. Sandwich with another cake layer. Repeat.
Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Press the flaked coconut onto the sides with your palm. Sprinkle the top with more flaked coconut. Decorate with fresh strawberries and drizzle with strawberry sauce (made by mixing 3 tbsp strawberry jam with 1 tbsp warm water).
Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream
4 egg whites
1 cup castor sugar
300 g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
Clean the bowl of your electric mixer with a paper towel to remove any traces of grease. Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly but gently till the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are warm to touch. Remove from heat.
Using the whisk attachment of your mixer, whip the egg whites till they are smooth, glossy and form stiff peaks. By this time the bowl should have cooled down and feel neutral to touch. Using the paddle attachment of your mixer, add in the butter, slowly (2 cubes at a time) and mix until a smooth consistency is reached. Add in the lemon juice and zest and mix till well blended.
Positively stunning. This cake looks so good!!
Thank you Katrina! It tasted delicious too
What a gorgeous cake!! i love the flavors, very spring-y 🙂
Thank you June! That’s the word…spring-y. I love anything with berries and lemon in them.
It’s looks very yummy definitely I’ll try this. 🙂
I hope you try it Adarsh! It is delicious indeed. Thanks for stopping by:-)
You are so lucky to have had nice weather. We had 3 feet of snow. Yikes! The cake looks absolutely gorgeous. All my favorite flavors wrapped up into one amazing cake.
Wow! I cannot even imagine what that means..I’ve never spotted snow in Sydney! Hope you have warm weather soon. Thanks so much…glad you liked the cake:-)
I feel the same way – baking is so therapeutic – something about the mixing, baking, watching, smelling, frosting, and eating comforts my soul! This cake looks delish! And it sounds like the perfect end to a cozy lunch! 🙂
Oh yes…absolutely! Loving baking to bits. Thanks so much, my friend:-)
I’m not a fan of richly frosted cakes either so this one really appeals to me! And of course, it’s beautiful. It’s funny, you say you didn’t bake anything this week and this is the week I was in a baking frenzy for a party I was hosting. I cranked out 5 desserts and I don’t want to bake anymore! I’m exhausted! Part of my exhaustion is baking at high altitude, it is so difficult. What used to be fun for me has turned into the biggest chore because the cakes never come out the same twice. I’m constantly writing and rewriting and fixing cake recipes and in the end I say to hell with it. It’s quite frustrating. I finally got my sponge cake to behave and I have to bake it again to make sure it will come out the same again! Ridiculous I know.
Your boys are going to love school, I know it will be hard on you but you get used to the time you suddenly have. I see my youngest just getting taller and taller, he’ll be 10 this year and when we moved back to CO, he was only 5, so small and so cute. Sigh. Life goes on my dear, whether we like it or not. It’s quite overwhelming to register, sometimes. xx
Nazneen
Thanks so much lovely, for sharing your advice and words of wisdom. Definitely helps hearing it from an experienced Mum. I am going to get into a baking frenzy next week, with all the time in my hands. Actually, can’t wait! I hope your cakes behave..they are such beauties anyway:-)
This cake looks so light and fluffy. It’s a beautiful cake. I’m really starting to get that springtime citrus and berry itch in the kitchen and I’d really like to try this out. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks Amy! Spring is the best…we are nearing the end of Summer and it makes me sad thinking about how long it is going to be before I see Spring again. Hope you make the cake..it is delicious!
well this is INSANELY gorgeous! setting & styling cake is one of my biggest food photography challenges. seriously in awe of this right now.
That is such a sweet thing to say Renee! Thank heaps:-)
Wow, you are the master of cakes!!! Love the pic of the slice : )
Ha ha..I so love the sound of that though I wish that was true. Thanks so much lovely:-)
Your cakes truly are the best, this has all the fruitiness and all the richness one could want! What a stunning cake 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you for saying such lovely things always Uru! By the way, I am going to dream of that chocolate cake tonight…so good:-)
wow….prettiest white cake we have seen so far….this sure is going to be a favorite with us,thanks 🙂
Awww…thank you Kumar! So glad you liked it.
Great photos, for one! Two, Coconut and strawberry not only taste good together, but does look good together! Love it, Sonali!!!
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
I love to see one of your cakes because they are always so beautiful and well thought out. The cake itself looks so moist and I love the flavors and textures you combined. The combination of both jam and meringue frosting is a great extra special touch. I think the amount of buttercream you applied is just right for me. Those little guys are very lucky and I’m sure there will be plenty of time to enjoy your beautiful creations even as they embark of their school adventures. All the best to them (and to you!). Have a wonderful weekend!
Big up to you! This looks fantastic and Im definitely trying it. Have forwarded my 2 girls in Canada. From Africa with loads of love and hugs.
Are these cakes made for ordering and shipping? I sure would like to have one.
What a lovely thing to read! Thanks:-)
Does anyone know if the coconut is sweetened or unsweetened ? I cant find that detail in the recipe! Huge difference !
Hi, the coconut is unsweetened. Hope this helps!
can someone translate for me the butter . I’m lost with the gram thing please.
translate the butter from grams please
go to gramcup.com for a conversion chart 🙂
This is gorgeous! Pinned to our Coconut Obsession board.
Thanks heaps Melanie! I love the sound of this board:-)
Hi,
Cake looks great but do you use sweetened coconut flakes or not? As another blogger said, it does make a difference…?
Hi, the flakes I have used are unsweetened.
I’ve been searching for a perfect cake to make for a friends upcoming birthday & yours looks to be that perfect cake, so lovely!
I do have a question though. Your instructions for frosting the cake is a bit confusing as there seems to be two versions, one that includes lemon butter ( I’m guessing that might be lemon curd?) & lemon swiss meringue, the other being strawberry jam and lemon Swiss meringue. I’m sure it’s just me that’s not reading properly but wanted to ask before going ahead.
Thanks so much.
Joycelyn
Hi Joycelyn, glad that you like the cake. I hope you make it:-)
Not sure where you read lemon butter/lemon curd in the recipe as none are present. The frosting we are using here is Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream (a slightly different version of the traditional buttercream). We are using this buttercream between the cake layers along with a thin layer of strawberry jam. We are also using the same buttercream to frost the outside (top & sides) of the cake. Hope this helps.
Hi Sonali, thank you for responding to my question. Oh yes, I do intend to make your cake but this; ( copied from your instructions) is what confused me as it says spread a layer of lemon butter, then add a layer of frosting, yet the next paragraph/set of instructions states that one should add a layer of strawberry jam then a layer of frosting/buttercream?
[ Using a serrated knife, cut cake in half crossways. Place base on a plate. Spread lemon butter over base. Spread 1 cup frosting over lemon layer. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut. Sandwich together with cake top. Spread remaining frosting over top and side of cake. Sprinkle 1/4 cup coconut over top of cake. Press remaining coconut into side of cake. Serve.]
Once cakes have cooled completely, frost the cake. Place one layer onto a cake plate or stand. Spread 1/2 the strawberry jam all over the base. Dollop or pipe some of buttercream on top of the strawberry jam. Sandwich with another cake layer. Repeat.
Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Press the flaked coconut onto the sides with your palm. Sprinkle the top with more flaked coconut. Decorate with fresh strawberries and drizzle with strawberry sauce (made by mixing 3 tbsp strawberry jam with 1 tbsp warm water. ]
Oh yes! You are right. Please accept my apologies. I think I might have copied it erroneously for another recipe I was working on. I have removed the confusing part from the recipe. Thank you so much for pointing it out and taking time to write back to me. Hope you have a lovely week ahead:-)
Thank you Sonali! Hope you have a lovely week ahead too!
My niece and i made this cake just because we like to make new things. It was fun to make but confusing. we used room temperature eggs made a very nice meringue but it separated when we added the lemon juice and zest. we set in the refer for an hour covered, but still did not help. any ideas as to what we did wrong?
flavor is wonderful and will be making it again, just to get it right. Your pictures really help sell the cake. thank you.
So sorry to hear that David…I hope we can fix that now. And thank you so much for making the cake. At what stage did you add the lemon juice and zest? As per the recipe, this is added at the last (after adding in the butter).
Typically, when you add the butter to the meringue (egg white and sugar mixture) the buttercream does look a bit curdled but as you go on beating it, it smoothens out. If you have the buttercream in the refrigerator at the moment, I suggest you let it come to room temperature and whisk again. It should smoothen out.
Here’s a step by step tutorial I looked up for you to give you an idea. This one is a basic vanilla flavour but you will get the point. http://www.krissys-creations.com/2012/02/swiss-meringue-buttercream-step-by-step.html
I really hope this puts back your buttercream together:-) Do let me know.
Hello,
I can’t see where the desiccated coconut is added. On the frosting it appears from the recipe that you use the flaked coconut there, so where is the desiccated coconut? No-one else seems to have this issue, so I fear that I am being monumentally dim – please forgive me if I am.
The cake looks fab by the way!
Many thanks
Hi, the coconut goes in with the flour. It’s certainly not you:-) The coconut was missing in the instruction. I have updated it. Thanks for the feedback and so glad you liked it.
Just the cake I’ve been looking for to make for my birthday! I prefer a denser cake and think I may use cake flour. Have you ever made the cake this way? And if so, what was the result? Thank you for this beautiful cake recipe. Can’t wait to enjoy making and eating it!
Hi
Do you know if there another name for castor sugar in the US?
Hi –
I am baking this cake right now, but I think you may have left out the part where one adds the desiccated coconut…I added it when I added the second half of the flour, and I am hoping that will work out fine…
It sounds delicious and if the taste of the batter is any indication, it may be the best cake I’ve ever baked!
Sincerely,
Debbie
OOPS! Just reread and found what I missed- sorry
Hello miss,
Could u please write me the recipe in grams please. I would really appreciate it!
Thank u a lot miss 🙂