FOOD & WINE
Something to celebrate Story by Mel Amos. Photograph by Jason Porter.
Delicate but delightfully citrus-y, this cake is perfect for celebrating birthdays, new babies or just because! I’ve used limes here, but feel free to use whichever citrus takes your fancy. We all need something to celebrate at the moment, so why not celebrate the flavours of spring citrus with this beautiful cake. Lime and coconut cloud cake serves 12 Ingredients Lime curd 5 eggs 120g caster sugar 120g lime juice (approx 4 limes) Finely grated zest of 2 limes 140g unsalted butter, softened and diced Lime and coconut sponge 6 eggs 170g caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla paste Finely grated zest of 2 limes 100g plain flour 55g cornflour 50g desiccated coconut Pinch salt 90g unsalted butter, melted and cooled Meringue 180g egg whites (approx 5 eggs) 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 300g caster sugar To assemble 200ml pouring cream Pure icing sugar, for dusting 78
Method Lime curd Whisk eggs and sugar together in a bowl. Add lime juice and zest, whisk together well. Place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Give it a whisk every few minutes and scrape down the sides of the bowl as it thickens to the consistency of thick cream – around 20-25 minutes. Once thickened, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Add the butter and using a stick blender, blend until the butter is fully incorporated and the curd is smooth. Cover with cling wrap placed directly onto the curd to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate until completely cooled. Sponge Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease and line a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix eggs, sugar, vanilla paste and zest on high speed for at least five minutes until pale, very thick and increased in volume. Sift flour and cornflour together, then add the coconut. Using a metal spoon or spatula, fold half of the flour mixture through the beaten egg mixture. Add the remaining flour mixture and again fold through quickly – don’t overmix, or you’ll knock out the air. Pour melted butter into a large bowl. Add a small amount of the egg mixture and gently fold through. Add the remaining egg mixture, again taking care not to overmix. Spoon batter into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cake springs back when pressed gently in the centre. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing and cooling on a wire rack. Meringue Preheat the oven to 150C. Grease and line two 23cm springform cake tins. If you don’t have two tins, trace two 23cm circles onto your baking paper to use as a template. Place egg whites and cream of tartar into a clean mixer bowl. Using a clean whisk attachment, mix on medium speed until soft ribbons form. Add sugar in a thin, steady stream over a minute or two. Continue whisking until mixture is thick, stiff and glossy. Divide meringue equally between the two tins (or your two templates) then smooth over the surface to create an even layer while creating some decorative peaks. Place meringues into the oven for 35 minutes. Leaving meringues in the oven, turn off the heat and leave the door ajar, until they’ve cooled. Once completely cool, remove meringues from their tins. Set aside until required.
