Who doesn’t love a good butter cake? An easy, reliable home favorite that is also super versatile to accommodate various twists like chocolate, fruits, nuts, buttermilk frostings, you name it.
I wanted to make my butter cake “lighter”. With a good quarter of the cake made out of butter, this cake is rich. Very rich. So chocolate, cream cheese, and frostings were out of the equation at this point. To tackle this greasy cake, you need some zing, some tang to go with it.
Okay, it’s not exactly the most obvious of pairings. Not exactly a peanut-butter-and-jelly or salt-and-pepper kind of combo, but lime and coconut work wonders together. The initial thought of it may raise some eyebrows, but it is a refreshing, winning duo. The combination of lime and coconut creates a fresh, summery, tropical feel that reinvigorates the soul.
You might notice that this lime & coconut butter cake is not as smooth as the usual plain ones. Do not be fret over some minor lumps on the insides. This is due to the addition of desiccated coconut and it’s perfectly normal. In fact, it gives a pleasant chew to the mouthful and added textures.
This butter cake still retains its luscious, velvety rich flavors. The addition of some acid from the lime juice and vigor from the zest helps bring more balance to the taste, cutting the richness, making it lighter and easier on the palate. The coconut gives a soft sweetness and further freshness to the cake. Along with this lighter butter cake, comes a slight tendency to overindulge. So you have been forewarned.
Lime & Coconut Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 200 g butter softened at room temperature
- 170 g castor sugar
- 3 medium sized limes
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 35 g dessicated coconut
- 200 g self-raising flour
- 2 tbsp castor sugar (for glazing)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170°C and grease/line a 2lb or 900g loaf tin. I used a 8.5×3.5×3" loaf tin.
- Grate the lime zest and rub into the castor sugar, set aside. Squeeze the lime over a sift and set aside juice – we will use later for the glazing.
- Using hand whisk or electric mixer, beat together butter with sugar and lime zest mixture until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, ensuring that it is well incorporated before adding in the next egg.
- Whisk in milk lightly, then gently fold in the desiccated coconut
- Mix flour in until well combined, then pour cake batter into the prepared loaf tin.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, if it is browning too much, ensure to cover the top with aluminium foil towards the last 15-20 minutes. Check with a skewer inserted in the centre to ensure that it comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, mix together lime juice with the 2 tbsp caster sugar. Sugar should dissolve into the juice by the time your cake is ready.
- When the cake is done, remove cake and place on cooling rack. Poke holes all over the top with a thin skewer or cake tester, then either drizzle the lime sugar syrup over it, or brush the syrup on top using a pastry brush.
- You may wish to sprinkle some desiccated coconut on the top, or leave it as it is. Let cake cool completely on cooling rack.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 2-3 days. If wrapped well, this cake can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Defrost and warm up in microwave before serving.
Notes
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Hi. Do you transfer the cake out of the loaf tin immediately while it’s still hot or do you wait for a bit before removing the cake to pour the syrup?
Hi Sya, I often wait for 5-10 minutes before transfering cake from tin to wire rack.
Thank you for this recipe! So simple , yet yummy. I must have baked this 3-4 times during the year-end festivities to bring to different gatherings and received such great reviews each time. Everyone wants to “dabao” home :))
Yay, thank you for coming back to leave your feedback! That’s music to my ears to hear that you and your loved ones all loved it.