Hi buddy. I’m including this recipe Right before Western Easter, in the hope that if you’re looking for a bright, last-minute spring treat, this lemon curd coconut cake might be the Hail Mary (no pun intended) you’re looking for. It has a rich crumb thanks to the coconut flour, lots of moisture thanks to the coconut milk and butter, and a brightness thanks to the lemons both in the cake dough *and* the lemon cream generously lathered on top. There are also candied lemon slices as an extra lemony treat for garnish (and for a little fancy), but they’re completely optional and the cake will still have a delicious lemony flavor without them if you want to keep things simple.
Now, I mentioned “Western” Easter earlier, and that’s because, having been raised (moderately) Greek Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox religions have a different calendar than Catholic/Protestant faiths, so my family’s Easter won’t last much longer. some time. weeks (it’s the Gregorian vs Julian calendarif you feel inclined to become scholarly about it). Since Greek Easter usually falls later than Western Easter, this meant that our Easter baskets as children were wonderfully wacky since my mom always offered them for 50% off (we also got those giant peanut butter filled eggs from Sees candy. It was Great.) And this year Greek Easter falls on May 5, which is also Cinco de Mayo. The last time this happened, Jeremy and I threw a big “Greek-o de Mayo” party since Jeremy is half Hispanic and I’m half Greek, and we roasted a whole lamb in the backyard the old Greek way . We had never prepared a whole lamb before, and seriously underestimated the amount of food he would produce. Even with our 30+ guests at the party, we ended up having a staggering amount of lamb left over. Which we froze and continued to eat until the following Easter arrived. It put me off lamb for a few years after that.
But we’ve since matured and learned from the mistakes of our youth, so I think we’ll try another Greek-o de Mayo celebration this year, but this time with just a leg of lamb and lots of tacos. So you can expect an updated leg of lamb recipe on the blog around that time, and maybe even some spanikopita! But for now, I’m sharing this wonderfully bright and snappy lemon curd coconut cake that I promised you in my last post a couple of weeks ago. And I really hope you find time to try it: Jeremy and I ate the whole thing ourselves within a week, so we can attest to its pleasant flavor. Plus, you’ll have some coconut flour left over afterwards. I love using it in place of breadcrumbs in many recipes that call for it. It gives otherwise savory recipes a tropical twist that can be SO tasty! And it’s also great in any other baked good you want to add a little coconut flavor to. Have fun, dear reader, and have a great holiday weekend!
Lemon and coconut cream cake
This cake can be baked with the attached Charlotte cake pan or a single standard 8-inch cake pan. The Charlotte cake pan can be found here: https://www.nordicware.com/products/charlotte-cake-pan/
Lemon curd
-
1/2
cup
freshly squeezed lemon juice -
5
egg yolks -
1/2
cup
granulated sugar -
6
spoons
unsalted butter cut into individual tablespoons -
1
teaspoon
finely grated lemon zest -
1/4
teaspoon
vanilla extract
Lemon and coconut cream cake
-
1 1/4
cups
all purpose flour -
1
table spoon
poppy seeds -
1 1/2
teaspoons
baking powder -
1/2
teaspoon
salt -
6
spoons
unsalted butter
room temperature -
3/4
cups
granulated sugar -
1/2
cup
coconut flour -
1
teaspoon
Sicilian flowers extract
can replace with vanilla extract -
½
teaspoon
vanilla extract -
2
spoons
fresh lemon juice -
1
table spoon
finely grated lemon zest -
3
egg
at room temperature -
3/4
cup
plus 1 tablespoon coconut milk -
¼
cup
finely grated coconut
optional seal
Candied lemon twist (optional garnish)
-
3
small lemons -
1 1/2
cups
waterfall -
1
cup
granulated sugar
Lemon curd
-
Place 1 to 2 inches of water in the bottom of a double boiler. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and place the top pot on top. Add the lemon juice, egg yolks and sugar and mix with a whisk to combine. Continue stirring gently as the mixture cooks (this will prevent the egg yolks from curdling and will maintain the smooth, silky texture of the curd). Eventually the mixture will thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon (this will take about 10 minutes depending on the temperature of your hob).
-
Remove the top pan of the double boiler from the heat, add the butter pieces and stir until melted.
-
Then add the lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Transfer to a jar and let cool to room temperature while you bake the cake. After using the curd to decorate the cake, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Lemon and coconut cream cake
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If using the Charlotte Nordic Ware pan pictured in this post (https://www.nordicware.com/products/charlotte-cake-pan/), spray it with cooking spray and lightly dust with coconut flour and set aside. If using a regular 8-inch cake pan, grease the pan and line the bottom with a round of baking paper and set aside.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar and coconut flour until blended (first a crumbly mixture will form, then it will begin to stick together almost like a thick sugar paste), for about 2 minutes at high speed. average.
-
Add the Sicilian flower extract, vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest and mix until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, waiting for each egg to be well incorporated before adding the next.
-
While mixing on low speed, add half of the flour mixture, mix for 10 seconds, then add the coconut milk and mix for 10 seconds, pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, then add the remaining half of the flour mixture. flour and mix until *just* combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
-
Place in the oven and bake until the edges and top are kissed golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes. The baking time will be closer to 40 minutes if you use the Charlotte pan, and closer to 30 minutes if you use a standard 8-inch cake pan.
-
Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes before inverting the pan to unmold the cake. Let the cake cool to room temperature, then spread the desired amount of lemon curd over the cake (refrigerate any excess lemon curd in an airtight container and use as desired. It’s great on buttered toast!). Sprinkle with shredded coconut, garnish with candied lemon twists (optional), and serve with excess lemon curd for additional dipping.
-
You can prepare it the day before and store in the fridge in an airtight container overnight until ready to serve.
Candied lemon twist (optional garnish)
-
Slice the lemons as directed in this video to allow for the twist later: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYjfNosujSk (this will allow you to create the twist shape later). Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced lemons (it’s okay if they overlap) and reduce the heat to low.
-
Simmer for 1 hour, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface and gently turning the slices every 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully use tongs to remove the slices and place them on a wire rack to cool, with a paper towel or baking sheet underneath to catch any drips of syrup. Once they are warm and no longer very hot, spiralize them and return them to the grill to continue to cool and firm up. Once cooled, place the lemon curd in the center of the cake.
Nutrition Facts
Lemon and coconut cream cake
Quantity per serving
Calories 352
Calories from fat 180
% daily value*
Fat 20 g31%
Saturated fat 13 g81%
Trans fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated fats 1g
Monounsaturated fats 4g
Cholesterol 152mg51%
Sodium 134 mg6%
Potassium 189 mg5%
Carbohydrates 41 g14%
3g fiber13%
Sugar 24 g27%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 524 IU10%
Vitamin C 20 mg24%
Soccer 66 mg7%
Iron 2mg11%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
