I am drooling over library cookbooks again.
This particular droolworthy book was chosen by my good friend Tanya, who grabs any new cookbooks that she thinks I might like as they arrive and puts them under the counter for me. It is always such a treat to be presented with a shiny new cookbook. This recipe is a particularly easy one, but the resulting cake is delicious. The combination of a moist lemon sponge, with creamy lemon frosting and a snowfall of shredded coconut is a taste sensation I will be enjoying again soon and one I urge you to try.
My only advice is to set the oven temperature yourself and do not, I repeat, do not ask your husband to preheat the oven while you see to the baby, because although there are lemons and coconut standing in front of him, beside the cookbook, he still manages to read the oven temperature for the Pear and White Chocolate Cake! If you do insist on asking for his help, then do check the temperature before you put your cake in or it will be ever so slightly underdone in the centre like mine.
Easy Moist Lemon Cake
Cakes by Rachel Lane & Carla Bardi
Cake
1 ½ cups (225g) plain flour
¾ cup (150g) sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup (125g) butter, softened
1⁄3 cup (90ml) milk
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Lemon frosting
1 ½ cups (225g) icing sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
1. Preheat the oven to 350f/180c/gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 9-inch/23 cm square pan.
2. To prepare the cake, beat the flour, sugar, eggs, butter, milk, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until well blended. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until pale and thick, 3-4 minutes. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a rack.
4. To prepare the frosting, beat the icing sugar and butter in a medium bowl. Beat in enough lemon juice to make a spreadable frosting. Spread the cake with the frosting, and sprinkle with the coconut.
Serves 8 - 10
Here are a few more lemon recipes you may like to try:
* Extreme Lemon Tart - The Caked Crusader
* Lemon Curd with Nutmeg - Tinned Tomatoes
* Lemon and Lime Meringue-Less Pie - Munchkin Mail
* Triple Lemon Slice - Katiecakes
* Lemon Lust Cake - Eat Me Delicious
* Lemon Verbeba Ice Cream - David Lebovitz
* Lemon and Almond Shortcakes - David Hall
I love lemon cake - usually make the lemon drizzle one by tana ramsey but always on the lookout fr new recipes. On the husband issue, he sounds just like mine!!
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say Beth, their minds are just not on the job at hand!
ReplyDeleteMmh, that looks gorgeous and nicely straightforward... although I've had a selection of disasters with buttercream type icing. Hrm. I think I'll give this one a wee try though (and I'll check the oven temp!) ;)
ReplyDeleteLemon and coconit are my all time favourite flavour combinations, better than chocolate, better than anything.
ReplyDeleteHi Wenchie, you are sure to enjoy it and the frosting came out perfect. Just add a little lemon juice at a time and make sure the butter is nice and soft.
ReplyDeleteHey Val, lemon and coconut is a combination I don't think I have had before, but now I have tried it, I love it and I am thinking it would be a good ice cream flavour.
Check out that frosting piled high to the sky! Drool worthy indeed!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely cake, even if slightly underdone. I never asked mine to do one thing in the kitchen...he was hopeless in that area.
ReplyDeleteI've had lemon and coconut together in a bar, but never would have thought to sprinkle coconut on top of this cake. Really a beautiful touch.
This sounds delicious, really like the mix of lemon and coconut. Am now waiting for the Pear and White Chocolate Cake with great excitement!
ReplyDeleteJacqueline, my mouth is watering here!! Lovely combo of flavours and one to definitely add to my must bake list.
ReplyDeleteMaria
x
The frosting is lovely Sarah. Don't you just love frosting?
ReplyDeleteIn a bar,that does sound good Barbara. It really is a good combo :)
I thought that might be coming. I will have to have another look at the recipe for the pear and white chocolate cake Choclette :)
I do hope you try it Maria :)
Beautiful looking cake, Jacqueline! What a laugh about the oven, though ;) I ask my hubby to chop veggies when I need help--right beside me, where I can keep an eye on him!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you will just have to train cooper to help out in the kitchen if graham isn't up to the task - I get amazed at how hard it is to ask E to do stuff in the kitchen but my mum has had many years of experience and tells me not to expect too much.
ReplyDeleteAnd I want a friend like yours in the library - tanya sounds like a treasure
Your cakes looks lovely though I am not a lemon fan but I sometimes substitute orange for lemon and it seems to work ok - I love the icing - mmmmmm
You are indeed wise Ricki, there will have to be more supervision next time, he he :D
ReplyDeleteHey Johanna, Tanya is definitely a treasure and a lovely friend.
I will be getting Cooper into that kitchen as soon as he is big enough and trying to keep him away from the xbox!
Easy, moist and lemon are words I love to hear in succession. Great looking dessert.
ReplyDeleteI love any dessert with lemon and coconut. This cake looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteGrrr. I have to stop reading blogs while trying to shed a pound. Seriously... seriously that looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteSomething about 'slightly underdone in the center' sounds quite delicious to me! I'm off to the library to try and make a new friend. I need a librarian that stashes cookbooks for me too!
ReplyDeleteThanks TB :)
ReplyDeleteEveryone seems to have heard of this combination except me Pam, but I am glad I now have :)
I am here to torture you Mommy Gourmet, he he!
Yum, looks great and its so nice to see a lemon cake recipe that isn't a drizzle cake!
ReplyDeleteHey Apples, it is definitely a good idea to make friends with a librarian!
ReplyDeleteThanks Chele :)
i can't say that i typically enjoy lemon desserts, but the very presence of coconut on top completely redeems this one for me. the moist factor doesn't hurt either. :)
ReplyDeleteHey Jac - I absolutely looooove the idea of the coconut in this one, definitely trying that out for myself!
ReplyDeleteoooo this looks so good, I can almost taste the lemon and coconut frosting! this sounds such a nice combination. Lucie x
ReplyDeleteLooks so good. So much cake tonight. I am just so needing to make cake!
ReplyDeleteHi Grace, lemon isn't for everyone, although personally I love it :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it Ruth :)
It is lovely Lucie, they taste so good together :)
There is nothing else for it Lori. Get that whisk out :)
i am drooling too (it's lunchtime soonish). oh, maybe the coming weekend would be a good time to try some favourited blog recipes... including one of your scrumptious looking cakes...? now the problem is, which one...:)
ReplyDeleteMy word this looks delicious (the moist lemon cake - though actually any of the dishes I've just caught up with after falling behind for a bit could fit that description!) How are you managing all this amazing cooking and baking with a new baby, woman?!!
ReplyDeleteThis looks yummy! my husband will love it.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThat looks really good, combination of lemon & coconut is always a winner!
ReplyDeleteLoving the fact that you publish even the slightly less than perfect. Gives hope to the rest of us always struggling with the culinary demons
ReplyDelete