Coconut Lime Marshmallow Cake

My sister and her kids are visiting from Alberta this month and were coming for dinner one night last week so once again, I was in the mood to create a special dessert cake to mark the occasion. The only inspiration I had was a bag of limes that Spouse had purchased earlier that week. I'd had the idea for a while to try a coconut lime cake but didn't want anything too, too heavy.

Kids always enjoy the marshmallow frosting I make for cakes and cupcakes so I decided to use that along with plain unsweetened toasted coconut to frost the cake. The marshmallow frosting is sweet enough on its own anyway and the unsweetened version has more of the true coconut flavor so that worked very well.

I love a good tart lime curd, so that was easy enough to decide on for the filling but I didn't want a heavy cake to support all those great flavors so I chose a simple sponge cake with a little lime zest added for extra flavor. The combination of flavors and textures turned out fantastically well and wasn't too heavy at all; in fact, I'd say it is one of my favorite new cakes I've created this year.

Lime Curd

• 6 large or extra large egg yolks
• Zest of 2 large limes
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup butter cut in small pieces

Whisk together egg yolks, lime juice and zest, and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the wooden spoon. Remocve from heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time until smooth.

At this point you can press the lime cured through a sieve to remove the zest if desired but I don't bother.
Chill completely before using to fill the center of the two cake layers.

Lime Sponge Cake

Sift together and set aside:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

For the meringue base of the batter you will need:

• 6 eggs separated, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp cream of tarter
• 1 cup sugar, separated in 2 half cups
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon flavoring (optional)

Beat egg whites and cream of tarter until foamy. Add ½ cup sugar gradually until egg whites are stiff.

Beat egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until foamy and thickened.

Fold beaten egg yolks into the beaten egg whites along with the vanilla (and lemon) for only a few turns before slowly and gradually folding in the flour and baking powder mixture very gently BY HAND using a rubber spatula until just incorporated into the meringue mixture. I mix in the dry ingredients in 3 equal portions. Do not over mix, you just want the flour to be incorporated; over mixing will deflate the egg whites and result in a tough textured final product.

During the final minute of folding the batter add

• zest of one lime, finely minced

Pour into ungreased and parchment paper lined 8 or 9 inch round cake pans and bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until center springs back when touched. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Marshmallow Frosting

• 4 egg whites
• ¼ tsp cream of tarter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• ½ cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water

In a small saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer or when a teaspoonful of the mixture dropped into ice water forms a soft ball that holds its shape when cool.


Whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla extract to soft peaks in a large bowl. With the mixer on medium high speed, slowly begin to pour the sugar syrup down the side of the egg white bowl in a thin continuous stream. Continue to whip the frosting until it forms stiff peaks.

Frost your cake immediately with this frosting while it is still slightly warm as it is easier to spread smoothly than if allowed to cool completely.

I like to pipe a rim of frosting around the edge of the bottom layer of cake to form a sort of well for the lime curd before adding the top layer and frosting the entire outside of the cake. Reserve 1/4 cup of the lime curd to garnish the cake if desired.

When the cake is completely frosted cover the top and sides of the cake with

• 1 cup toasted unsweetened coconut

I toast coconut in the oven at 350 degrees F by placing it in a shallow layer on a baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, tossing it about 3 times during the baking time.

Candy Cane Cake

Candy Cane Cake

This cake is a favorite of mine to bring to Holiday dinners and parties especially if they are all ages celebrations. Understandably kids will be quite happy with one of the cupcakes especially but most adults go mad for them too. It's no wonder, with such a moist scratch cake topped with plenty of peppermint marshmallow frosting that the sight of it brings out the wide-eyed kid in everyone. Merry Christmas everyone!

Candy Cane Cupcakes

Candy Cane Cake

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Candy Cane Cake - this outstanding scratch cake is a kid favorite around here at Christmas time. My kids make the cupcakes to take along to their seasonal parties and they are very often the first items to get gobbled up.

Prep time: Approximately 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: Approximately 1 hour.
Yield: One 9 inch double layer cake or 3 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
• 2 tsp peppermint extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes
• 1/4 cup mixed red and green candy sprinkles
• 6 roughly chopped candy canes

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans and line the bottoms with 2 circles of parchment paper.
2. Sift together both flours, baking soda. baking powder, salt and sugar, Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the vegetable oil, shortening and peppermint extract. Beat well at high speed with whisk attachment until light and fluffy
4. Beat the eggs in one at a time.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
6. I always add dry ingredients in three divisions and liquid ingredients in 2 divisions. It is very important to begin and end the additions with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix the batter. As soon as it has no lumps in the batter, fold in the 1/4 cup crushed candy canes and sprinkles, then pour into the two prepared 9 inch cake pans.
7. Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
8. I've frosted this cake with Marshmallow Frosting with a little peppermint extract added but any good vanilla frosting is great on this cake. You can substitute a little peppermint extract to taste in your favorite frosting recipe but add just a little at a time, it's potent stuff. Find the marshmallow frosting recipe with our Black and White Cake.
9. If making cupcakes I find that making 1/2 of the frosting recipe is sufficient.
10. Sprinkle the roughly chopped candy canes over the top of the cake or cupcakes.