Coconut sponge with lime curd

I am now officially fed up with winter – its dark evenings, grey skies, snow and coldness can just do one as far as I’m concerned.  I think it might’ve got the message as this weekend has been milder...and who knew the sky was actually blue?

Anyway, weather rant over.  I was setting the scene for why I decided to look to warmer climes for my baking inspiration this week.  It’s been too long since I made a curd, and Mr CC suggested that lime curd would be a good idea.  He was right.  I used juice and zest and it gave the curd an elegant look that indicated the fruitiness within:

 There is something about curd that is heavenly – I’ve been trying to think how to describe that unmistakable curd flavour.  The best I can do is that the texture somehow is the flavour.  Weird!

The zinginess of the lime worked really well with the light coconut sponge.  To keep the whole thing fresh I avoided buttercream and decided on whipped cream for the filling.  When is adding cream to anything ever a bad idea?  Never, that’s when! (Although I have to admit to adding a bit too much and it all squidge out when I cut the cake!)

To distribute the curd flavour throughout the sponge I planned on cutting each sponge in two so there were three layers of curd.  That was the plan.  But then the Australian Open tennis final started and I suspect that, like everyone else preparing Sunday lunch, I suddenly found that I had a lot less time than anticipated and abandoned the idea!

Ingredients

For the lime curd:
2 limes – zest and juice
75g caster sugar
2 eggs
50g unsalted butter

For the cake:
175g unsalted butter
175g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
175g self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
55g desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons coconut extract (optional)
3 tablespoons milk

To finish: 200ml cream, whipped to a consistency just thick enough to hold its shape (I used 300ml and you will see from my photos that it was too much...and that’s me saying that so you know it’s true!)

Method

Start by making the lime curd (you can do this 1-2 days ahead of making the cupcakes): Place the lime zest and sugar in a bowl.

Whisk together the lime juice and eggs and pour over the sugar.

Cut the butter into little pieces and scatter over the top.

Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (or use a bain marie pan if you have one) and cook for approximately 15 minutes.

Stir occasionally but not obsessively until you have a thick curd.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Refrigerate until required.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

Line two 20cm sandwich pans with baking paper.

Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat until soft and well combined. Due to the ratio of ingredients, the mix won’t get light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a little of the flour if it looks like the mix might curdles.

Add the remaining flour, baking powder, coconut and extract and beat until thoroughly mixed.

Add the milk to loosen the batter.

Spoon the batter into the two prepared sandwich tins and bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Mine took exactly 25 minutes.

Leave to cool in the tins for at least 10 minutes before turning out and letting cool completely on a wire rack.

The sponges can be made in advance and stored in an airtight tin.

Cut each sponge through so you have four, roughly equal discs.

Place one of the sponges on the serving plate.

Spread 1/3 of the curd over it and place another disc of sponge on top.

Spread 1/3 of the curd over it, followed by the cream.

Place another disc on top and spread the remaining 1/3 of curd before topping with the final disc of sponge.

Refrigerate until you wish to serve, removing from the fridge approx 20 minutes in advance.

Serve in generous slices.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.