Lime Coconut Cake

I've been really food-focused lately & I think it's obvious if you check out our pinterest account. I always seem to forget to take photos of the process of cooking and baking though because I'm usually rushing to make everything as quickly as possible... so that I can eat as quickly as possible. I had a bit of a day off, so I took my time and snapped some pics in between steps.















Lime Coconut Cake Recipe
Gourmet, March 2009. via Honey and Jam
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated Key lime zest
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour (or just add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to all purpose.)
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup fresh Key lime juice, divided
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon rum (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously butter an 8- by 8-inch square or 9- by 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper.

Toast coconut in a small baking pan in oven, stirring once or twice, until golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool. Leave oven on.

Beat together butter, granulated sugar, and zest with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir together flour and 1/2 cup coconut (reserve remainder for topping). Stir together milk and 2 tablespoons lime juice. At low speed, mix flour and milk mixtures into egg mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour.

Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool to warm, then turn out of pan and discard parchment.

Whisk together confectioners sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and rum (if using, if not use milk) and pour over cake. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.

*note*: I replaced the milk with coconut milk because it was just in the fridge & seemed like it'd work. I also ended up omitting the glaze entirely and just baking the cake with the toasted coconut sprinkled on top. :) This cake was amaaaaazing.

Happy Friday!