Lemon Coconut Sponge Layer Cake

Lemon flavoured anything is always a hit with me. And judging by the number of page views and pins of my recipes, it is the same with you, my readers too. Having made a delicious, gluten free lemon cake for friends, I craved a lemon hit here at home too. Since I very rarely make the same cake twice, adding shredded, sweetened coconut seemed like a good idea. Good it wasn’t, fantastic it was. So welcome to my Lemon Coconut Sponge Layer Cake.

Light, golden, lightly flavoured sponges sandwiched together with tart lemon curd and creamy, lemon buttercream. Additionally, topped with more buttercream and sprinkled with coconut, this cake is a flavour feast in every bite. While the coconut is ordered from Amazon UK, it is never a faff. The moist, sweet bite of every single strand is worth the small extra effort. Alternatively you can, if you must, make this cake using dessicated coconut.

Eating And Enjoying A Well Made Cake

While the photograph above shows a slender slice of cake, know that this is near impossible to achieve. And so it should be! Photographic aesthetics aside, please do cut a decent portion when serving. Otherwise you and your guests will be left longing for another slice, or two, such is the more-ish-ness of this sweet treat. Enjoy the satisfaction of not only seeing a decent slice of cake on your plate, but also from eating it.

Cake is not something that most people eat everyday. Although I cannot think of a single reason why it shouldn’t be, considering the consumption of biscuits and chocolate, we as a population eat our way through. Rather, cake and the eating of it, is a celebration. Perhaps of the moment, days gone by, or memories brought to mind. Eating cake, in itself is a feast. And a feast should never be eaten half heartedly.

Recipe: Lemon Coconut Sponge Layer Cake serves 8-10

For the cake sponge:

225g/8oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature

225g/8oz Caster Sugar

1/4tsp Sea Salt (halve for free flowing) – I use Maldon

4 Large Free Range Eggs

Zest of 2 Lemons

225g/8oz Plain White Flour

2tsp Baking Powder

150g/5oz Sweetened Shredded Coconut – I use Baker’s Angel Flake available from Amazon UK – alternatively use dessicated coconut and add 3 tbsp of milk to the cake batter

For filling, frosting and decorating:

100g/4oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature

200g/7oz Icing Sugar

1/2tsp Lemon Extract (optional) I use Nielsen-Massey

1tbsp Very Hot Water from a recently boiled kettle

3tbsp Good Quality Tart Lemon Curd – I recommend Hawkshead Relish

50g/2oz Sweetened Shredded Coconut

Method: Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F

Butter and line with baking parchment, two 20cm/8″ round sandwich tins.

Making And Baking The Lemon Coconut Sponge Cakes

• First of all, place the butter, caster sugar and salt into a large bowl. Whisk until pale and creamy.
• Next add all 4 eggs and the zest of two lemons.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into the same bowl. Now add the sweetened, shredded coconut.
• Whisk briefly until everything is fully combined.
• Divide the cake batter evenly between the 2 sandwich tins. Smooth the surface of the batter with a spoon.
• Place the tins into the centre and lower parts of the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes.
• The cakes are baked once they have turned golden brown and spring back from a light touch.
• As soon as they are baked, remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.

• After cooling in the tin for 10 minutes, turn the cakes out on to a cooling rack.
• Carefully remove the baking parchment from the base of each cake.
• Set the cakes aside to cool completely.

Filling And Decorating The Layer Cake

• While the cakes are cooling make the buttercream.
• Add the butter, hot water, icing sugar and lemon extract to a large bowl.
• Starting on a slow speed whisk the ingredients together, increasing the speed until the mixture is very light and creamy.
• For ease of decorating, fill a piping bag, without a nozzle fitted, with the lemon buttercream.
• To fill and decorate the cake ensure it is fully cooled before starting.
• Place the bottom sponge flat side up, on to a plate or board.
• Spoon over the lemon curd and spread to cover the cake just inside the edge.
• Tun the top sponge so that it is flat side up. Pipe half of the buttercream in a swirl on to the cake. Spread so that the buttercream covers the cake, similar to the lemon curd.
• Turn the top sponge over and gently place on top of the lemon curd covered bottom Sponge.
• Pipe the remaining buttercream on to the top of the cake and spread evenly, so that the top of the cake is covered.

• Finally sprinkle over the sweetened, shredded coconut, so that it evenly covers the top of the cake.

Serve generously sliced, to friends, family and neighbours. Likewise, include a fork as this cake is delectably soft, more so on the day of making.

If you know someone who loves the combination of lemon and coconut, why not bake them a cake as a surprise.

Store this cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Refrigerate during warm weather.

 

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Lemon Coconut Sponge Layer Cake you may also like these:

Coconut White Chocolate Snowball Cupcakes 

Iced Cherry Coconut Loaf Cake 

Lemon Drizzle Whipped Cream Filled Giant Doughnut

Finally, should you want to indulge your love of lemon recipes further, why not visit Pinterest at Sammie | Feasting Is Fun.  All of my recipes are easy to find on one board and I also have one board dedicated to Lemon Love. Whether sweet or savoury, lemon is an ingredient I am never without in my kitchen. And from coleslaw to cakes, there are a myriad of recipes using lemon to inspire you.

So whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing your feast.

Sammie xx

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