Coconut Cake
                        with Lemon Curd, Raspberry Curd, and 
                                                                  Coconut Icing 

This cake is a lovely combination of sweet and creamy with a little tang from the lemon and raspberry curds. Perfect for a summer party or really any time you want!

 Coconut cake:

1 cup softened butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, separated
3 cups flour
1 Tbs. Baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. coconut extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2, 8" cake pans. Cream together the softened butter and sugar until fluffy and pale. Beat in the egg yolks, baking powder, and both extracts. Stir in the flour and milk in alternate additions (milk, flour, milk, flour) and mix until smooth and combined. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold them into the cake batter. Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and set. Let cool completely.

Coconut Icing:

1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 canned coconut milk cream (the cream that settles at the top of a can of coconut milk)
1 Tbs. coconut oil
1 Tbs. heavy cream
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. coconut extract

Beat together all ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.

Lemon Curd: 

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs. corn starch
1/2 cup boiling water
2 egg yolks
2/3 cups lemon juice
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1 Tbs. butter

Place egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in the boiling water and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk the hot sugar liquid into the egg yolks in small amounts until you have whisked in half of the mixture. Return the egg yolk mixture to the sauce pan and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it has thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Using a fine mesh stainer, strain the curd into a small bowl and let it cool completely at room temperature.

Raspberry Curd:

1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs. corn starch
1/4 cup boiling water
1 egg yolk
1/3 fresh raspberries, mashed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 Tbs. butter

Follow the same procedure as with the lemon curd but instead, stirring in the raspberries and vanilla at the point where you would add the lemon juice and zest.

To assemble: 

Place one, fully cooled cake on a plate and spread with coconut icing, a thin layer of lemon curd, and a thin layer of raspberry curd. Place the other cooled cake on top and cover the whole cake in a layer of icing. I like to decorate the top with some more of each curd and some toasted coconut flakes, blueberries, and fresh mint but feel free to get creative!


                                                                             Cheers!