Sweet Taste of the Tropics

I was browsing through my favourite blogs and saw the recipe for this on Rosie's blog. It is a Delia Smith recipe. I always find Delia's recipes very dependable and this looked so good I just had to make it. I loved the idea of mixing coconut with limes. The result was everything it promised to be. The sharpness of lime juice blending beautifully with the sweetness of the cake and icing. Rosie followed the recipe to the letter but that would not be me. The basic recipe is the same but I altered the amounts and did a different topping and filling but still used the lime juice as directed. Perfect I do urge you to try it. Rosie's looked wonderful. She is a great baker and has a lovely blog. Well worth a visit. Beautiful photos too.

http://rosiebakesapeaceofcake.blogspot.com

2 oz (50 g) desiccated coconut
2 limes
6 oz (175 g) self-raising flour
6 oz (175 g) caster sugar
6 oz (175 g) soft margarine or butter
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 level tablespoons dried coconut milk powder
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder

For the icing: 3 limes
8 oz (225 g) icing sugar
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C).
You will also need two 8 inch (20 cm) sponge tins 1½ inches (4 cm) deep, the bases lined with silicone paper (parchment).


For the cake,
start off by grating the zest of the 2 limes on to a small saucer, then cover that with cling film and set on one side. Next, measure the desiccated coconut into a small bowl, then squeeze the juice of the limes and pour this over the coconut to allow it to soften and soak up the juice for an hour or so.
To make the cake, just take a large, roomy bowl and sift in the flour, lifting the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing. Then simply throw in all the other cake ingredients, including the lime zest and soaked coconut, and with an electric hand whisk, switched to high speed, whisk everything till thoroughly blended – about 2-3 minutes.
Now divide the mixture equally between the two prepared tins, smooth to level off the tops and bake on a middle shelf of the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the centres feel springy to the touch. ( I found 20 minutes was long enough so check then)
Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn them out on to a wire rack to cool completely, carefully peeling off the base papers. They must be completely cold before the icing goes on.

To make the icing, begin by removing the zest from the limes – this is best done with a zester as you need long, thin, curly strips that look pretty. Then, with your sharpest knife, remove all the outer pith, then carefully remove each segment (holding the limes over a bowl to catch any juice), sliding the knife in between the membrane so that you have the flesh of the segments only. This is much easier to do with limes than it is with other citrus fruits. Drop the segments into the bowl and squeeze the last drops of juice from the pith.

Now, sift the icing sugar in on top of the limes a little at a time, carefully folding it in with a tablespoon in order not to break up the lime segments too much.
When all the sugar is incorporated, allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes, then spread half of it on to the surface of one of the cakes and scatter with half the lime zest.
Place the other cake on top, spread the rest of the icing on top of that and scatter the rest of the zest over.
Then place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up the icing before serving.

This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Summer Collection and Delia's Vegetarian Collection.

Notes

I was unable to find the dried coconut powder so added and extra tablespoon of dessicated coconut

I increased the amounts of flour sugar and butter each by 50gms/20z and used four eggs

I also made the cake by the creaming method as I think it gives a lighter result but this is up to you.

I made butter cream by creaming 175gms /6ozbutter with225gme/8oz icing sugar and added the lime zest and lime juice to this mixture.

I used two limes instead of three for the butter cream

I also added a rather magic ingredient called 'Pavlova magic which my lovely forum friend Gail sent me from Australia. She is a big time cake decorator so I listen to what she has to say.
It isn't necessary to add it you will still get a lovely tangy butter cream but this powder takes it another dimension altogether. I was amazed at the transformation. The butter cream metamorphosed into a lovely light pillowy marsmallowy consistency. Just lovely. You don't have to journey to Australia to buy this stuff. I found it available here.

http://www.sanza.co.uk/apps/shop/product.asp?pid=7867&scId=1472