Coconut & Key Lime Cake

The best coconut cake you’ll ever make! Sweet coconut and lime are the stars of this delicious cake. This cake looks striking on any dessert table at any time of the year.

This buttery cake is full of coconut-y goodness and lots of lime flavour. It’s moist with tender crumbs and is finished with a zesty lime glaze and toasted coconut. Limes give the cake brightness and freshness, coconut milk keeps it moist, and shredded coconut lends plenty of texture. Every slice is sweet, sticky and scrumptious.

The cake looks beautiful with the lime glaze dribbling down the sides of the cake. It’s a show-stopper and you won’t believe how easy it is to make with so few ingredients!

Ingredients Needed

• Shredded coconut
• Sugar
• Limes
• Butter
• Eggs
• Coconut Milk
• Flour
• Baking Powder
• Icing Sugar

How to make this cake

• Preheat oven and grease a 9” cake pan
• Toast the coconut, zest and juice the limes
• Combine sugar and lime zest to infuse flavour
• Beat butter and infused sugar
• Beat in eggs
• Beat in flour, coconut and baking soda alternately with coconut milk
• Transfer batter to prepared pan
• Bake in preheated oven then cool cake
• Mix glaze ingredients, icing sugar and lime juice, in a small bowl
• Drizzle glaze over cake and sprinkle with shredded coconut and lime zest

How to toast coconut

Use a large skillet to toast the coconut over medium heat. Shake the pan constantly so the coconut moves around. This also allows different strands of coconut to become toasted. As soon as golden specks start forming on some of the coconut strands, remove the skillet from heat and transfer the coconut to a plate to stop further browning. Do not leave coconut unattended as it browns quickly!

How to store the cake

If making the cake the same day it’s being served, store it at room temperature. If making the cake a day ahead, cover with a dome and refrigerate it. For best results bring the refrigerated cake to room temperature before serving.

The cake also freezes well. To thaw the frozen cake, remove any wrapping and let the cake sit at room temperature for 3 -4 hours. These methods all make it convenient to make the cake ahead which is perfect when entertaining!

Here’s why you’ll love this cake

• Sweet, luscious and decadent and makes you want to eat more and more
• Zesty lime tastes extra refreshing in the cake and is a perfect match with coconut
• Super easy to make even if you’ve never baked a fancy cake before
• Guarantees rave reviews from anyone who tries this cake
• Easily transportable making it great to bring along to a pot luck
• Can be made ahead saving time

Serve this cake at your next dinner event and it’s guaranteed to be devoured in minutes!

Print

Coconut & Key Lime Cake

A buttery moist cake full of coconut and lime flavour finished with a zesty lime glaze and toasted coconut.

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut toasted, divided ½ cup each for cake and for garnish
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 limes zested
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice divided 2 tablespoons each for cake and for lime glaze
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter softened to room temperature
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup coconut milk from a 400mL tin
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Lime Glaze & Garnish

• 1 cup icing sugar
• Reserved 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice see above
• Reserved ½ cup toasted coconut see above
• Lime zest and lime slices for garnish, as desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9” round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper.
2. Toast the coconut in a 12” skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan constantly until the coconut is toasted to a light golden colour. Do not leave unattended as coconut burns easily. Immediately transfer the coconut to a plate to cool. Divide coconut evenly into two ½ cup portions. You will need ½ cup for the cake batter and the other ½ cup set aside for the garnish.
3. Add the granulated sugar into a small bowl. Zest two limes dropping the zest right into the bowl with the sugar. Stir to combine to infuse the sugar with lime flavour. Set aside while preparing the other ingredients.
4. Juice limes to get 4 tablespoons (¼ cup). You will need 2 tablespoons for the cake batter and the other 2 tablespoons set aside for the lime glaze.
5. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and lime infused sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the lime juice.
6. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder and ½ cup of the toasted coconut.
7. At low speed, gradually add flour mixture and coconut milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour, beating in between each addition. Batter will be thick.
8. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted comes out clean, about 40 - 45 minutes. Leave cake in pan and let cool slightly, about 1 hour. Turn cake out of pan and place on a serving platter.
9. Make the lime glaze; in a small bowl stir together icing sugar and reserved 2 tablespoons lime juice until smooth. Spoon half of the glaze over top of cake, allowing some to drip over the sides. Let the glaze set for 1 - 2 minutes. Spoon remaining glaze over top of cake, allowing more to drip over the sides. Immediately sprinkle the top with reserved ½ cup toasted coconut.
10. Garnish cake with lime zest and lime slices as desired.
11. If making ahead, cover cake with a dome and refrigerate. Bring cake to room temperature (for about 1 hour or more) before serving.

Looking for more desserts?

• Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
• No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
• Chocolate Bundt Cake