Since we have one car, Dan dropped me off at Sophia's Heart today and he came home to take care of business things. Fortunately, he picked me up at the front door when my day was over because there was a deluge right as I left the building. When I got in the car he was playing one of my favorite Jimmy Buffett cd's. Listening to the island style music made me wish I was on a beach somewhere with sand between my toes, sun on my face, breeze in my hair. One of my most favorite places to be. Walking in the house, for some reason I had this song running through my head even though it's not a Jimmy Buffett's song:
"Bruder bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime,
His sister had anudder one she paid it for de lime.
She put de lime in de coconut, she drank 'em bot' up"
Singing that song made me want something tropical, so I baked a lime coconut cake. Yum. And I made lime buttercream icing with coconut. Yum Yum. We had it for dessert and it is so good. There is something about the flavor of lime that resonates with me. Lime, coconut, pineapple - the good flavors that make you think sunshine, sand, and ocean. I think I need to go to the ocean soon. Add that to the list.
This is a "from scratch" cake, but it's quite easy. Here is what you need:
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
zest of 2 limes
1/4 cup lime juice (took both limes)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 cups cake flour (I use Swans Down)
1 1/4 cups coconut milk (most of a 14 ounce can)
1 cup sweetened coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 9 x 13 pan.
Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
Beat the 2 sticks of butter with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat again until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and beat again thoroughly incorporating eggs. Add lime zest and juice. Mix thoroughly. Add 1/2 of the cake flour mixture and mix, but do not over mix. Add 1/2 of the coconut milk. Mix. Add remaining cake flour mixture. Mix. Add remaining coconut milk. Mix. Add 1 cup sweetened coconut and mix one last time. Batter is thick, don't be alarmed.
Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven as soon as it's done and let cool.
Icing:
1 stick butter, softened
zest of one lime
juice of one lime
2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup tinted coconut
Beat the stick of softened butter until light and fluffy. Add about 1/2 cup powdered sugar and mix. Add lime zest and mix in. Add a little lime juice. Continue adding powdered sugar and lime juice until you have spreading consistency. Ice cake. Remember, I don't like a lot of icing. If you want more icing, double the recipe.
How to tint coconut.
Use a gallon zip lock bag and put 1- 2 cups of shredded sweetened coconut in the bottom of the bag. Lay the bag on it's side on a counter top. Put a few drops of desired color on the inside of the bag - on the plastic, not on the coconut. Zip the bag and shake. Tada! Coconut in whatever color you chose. Takes just a few seconds to do and it looks so festive. Sprinkle over the top of the cake.
I have to say, this dessert hit the spot. There is something so special about lime and coconut together. Almost made me feel I was on a beach somewhere with water lapping at the shore line. Unfortunately, that water sound was just the rain pouring down. Maybe someday soon we will mosey on down south and spend a few days with our toes in the sand, feeling the rays on our face and listening to that glorious sound of waves returning to the shore over and over again. Ahhhh, I can hear them now.
Everyday Donna
Things to Remember:
“If life gives you limes, make margaritas.” Jimmy Buffett (or maybe a cake)
P.S. Dan just came back for a second piece of cake. It's confirmed. Super good.
