Recipes - Coconut Citrus Cake

With a delicate note of sweet orange and lemon, this cake is perfect for any celebration or when you just want a great piece of cake!

Ingredients

150g or 10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
130g or 1 cup brown rice flour, preferably superfine
65g or 1/2 cup white rice flour, superfine
65g or 1/2 cup tapioca flour/starch
300g or 1-1/2 cups organic sugar
4 large eggs, preferably organic free range
1-1/2 tsp gf baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt, fine
1 tsp good quality vanilla
1 tsp Grand Mariner or orange extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
110g or 1/2 cup sour cream or full-fat greek yogurt
120g or 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk stirred first to blend the cream with the liquid

shaved unsweetened coconut for sprinkling on top and sides of cake if desired.

Soaking syrup (optional)
2 tbsp of organic sugar
1/2 cup of water
3 tbsp of Grand Marnier

Coconut Orange Buttercream
230g or 16 Tbsp unsalted butter or ghee softened
440g or 4 cups of confectioners sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange extract or Grand Marnier
3-4 Tbsp full fat coconut milk stirred well

Instructions

Line 2, 8" round pans with parchment and butter and dust with rice flour. Set aside

Pre-heat oven to 350F

In a stand mixer or bowl with hand mixer, cream the butter and organic sugar. Cream until sugar granules dissolve and butter is fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.

In a bowl, weigh or measure out all the flours and add baking powder, soda and salt.

In another bowl, weigh or measure out the sour cream/yogurt, coconut milk, and orange, lemon and vanilla extracts. Stir well.

Add 1/2 the flour, then 1/2 the sour cream mixture to the butter/egg mixture repeat until all dry and wet are incorporated. Scraping down bowl between additions will make sure you get any lumps or butter fully mixed in and creamed.

Divide the batter between the two pans and bake in oven for 20 minutes then rotate if needed and bake additional 12-15 until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove to a cooling rack and let sit for 10 minutes before turning out to cool.

While cake is baking make the soaking syrup.
In a small saucepan bring the sugar, water and orange liqueur to a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes then remove from heat. This cooks out any alcohol making it safe for children.

Drizzle several Tbsp of the soaking syrup over the cake and let rest. You can wrap and refrigerate the cake at this point for up to 3 days.

Once the cake has fully cooled make the buttercream.

In a stand mixer or bowl with hand mixer, cream the butter until fluffy, Add the confectioner's sugar and on lowest setting start to blend the butter with the sugar. Add vanilla and orange extract then 1 tbsp of coconut milk at a time until it looks creamy but not too thin. Whip on high speed for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.

To ice the cake, place one layer on a serving platter. Add a few dollops of buttercream on top of the layer and spread evenly. Set the second layer on top and put several dollops of icing on the top and work your way to the sides, adding more to the top to move to cover the top and push down the sides. This is easier than trying to ice the sides separately and usually eliminates crumbs getting into your icing.

Using your hand gently press the coconut on the sides and sprinkle on the top.

Cake lasts covered for 3 days on the counter or up to 1 week in the fridge.