serves
16
prep
50 minutes
cook
40 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
16
people
preparation
50
minutes
cooking
40
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
Cake
- 2½ cups (325 g) cake & pastry flour (see Note)
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tsp ( 9 g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (2.5 g) salt
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¾ cup (175 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1½ tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
Lemon coconut filling
- 1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
- 2 cups (100 g) sweetened flaked or shredded coconut
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (2 ml) coconut extract, optional
Sabayon buttercream & assembly
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups (260 g) icing sugar, sifted
- 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into pieces
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (150 g) sweetened flaked or shredded coconut
Chilling time: 4 hours.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease two 20 cm (8 in) round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and dust the sides of the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl (if using electric beaters) or into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the lemon zest and stir in. Add the butter and cut in on medium-low speed until the flour is crumbly and no pieces of butter are visible, about 2 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, lemon juice, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add this all at once to the flour and mix first on low speed until combined and then increase the speed to medium high and beat for 1 minute until lighter in colour. Divide the batter between the two pans and spread to level.
4. Bake the cakes for about 30 minutes, until a tester inserted in the entre of a cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes for 30 minutes on a rack in their tins, then turn out to cool completely.
5. For the filling, measure the cream, sugar, lemon zest, cornstarch and coconut in a saucepan and whisk this together. Have the egg yolks in a small dish and have the butter in another dish on hand. Bring the cream mixture up to a full simmer over medium heat while whisking, about 5 minutes. Ladle a spoonful of the cream into the egg yolks while whisking and then add this back into the pot, and continue to cook for about 4 minutes while whisking, to cook the eggs. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Whisk in the vanilla and coconut extract (if using) and transfer to a bowl to cool. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours before using.
6. For the buttercream, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a metal bowl placed over a pot of gently simmering water, until the mixture has doubled in volume and holds a ribbon on the surface when the whisk is lifted. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the icing sugar – this will cool the sabayon. Using electric beaters or in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the sabayon one minute to cool it further and then add the soft butter a few pieces at a time, until the buttercream is smooth. Whip in the vanilla. Use the buttercream at room temperature
7. To assemble the cake, slice each cake layer in half horizontally. Place one cake layer onto a platter or cake stand. Spoon some of the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip and pipe a ring around the outside edge of the cake. Spoon a third of the chilled coconut filling inside this ring, spreading evenly. Top this with another cake layer and repeat two more times. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream and coat the entire cake with coconut. Chill the cake until ready to serve.
Note
• Cake and pastry flour, available from some supermarkets and specialist retailers, usually has a finer texture and lower protein content, which yields a tender cake crumb, but you can easily use plain flour instead in this recipe.
•The cake should be stored refrigerated, but is best enjoyed when it sits out for an hour before slicing and serving.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
