Coconut Lime Cake

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here's a green dessert with the luck of the Irish and the taste of the tropics. A Coconut Lime Cake with coconut swiss meringue buttercream and key lime pie filling.

Vanilla Cake

1 cup unsalted butter
4 eggs
2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 cup coconut milk

Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream

5 egg whites
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup coconut milk
I also used a few drops of green gel food coloring to tint my buttercream

Lime Filling

2 14 ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
1 cup lime juice
2 teaspoons lime zest
2 eggs

Directions:

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time. Then alternatively add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture (beginning and ending with flour) and beat until just combined.

Divide the batter into three 8 inch cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Then, move to a wire rack to cool.

Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

In a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, whisk together the egg whites and sugar consently but gently until a candy thermometer reads 160 degrees fahrenheit.

Transfer the egg white mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk atanchment. Whisk the meringue mixture on medium speed until the bowl is room temperature to the touch and the meringue has reached soft peaks.

Then, switch to the paddle attachment and incorporate the butter cube by cube. Keep mixing unitl the buttercream reaches a smooth consistancy.

Lime Filling:

In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, lime zest, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the refrigator to chill.