Here’s a cake to celebrate spring, bursting with the bright flavours of strawberries, coconut and lime. Conveniently, the batter is made by placing all the ingredients in a bowl of an electric mixer and beating for just a minute or so. The key to success here is softened butter: it should be very soft and spreadable but not melted.
Decorate with more strawberries or with small edible flowers. Ingredients 180g self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 1⁄4 tsp fine sea salt 180g caster sugar 30g desiccated coconut 50g ground almonds 180g unsalted butter, very soft 3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten 50ml milk finely grated zest of 2 limes 40ml lime juice icing sugar, for dusting 200g hulled strawberries, plus extra to decorate the cake 150ml thickened cream 20g icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla essence 100g strawberry (or other) jam Method Line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper and preheat oven to 170C fan-forced (190C conventional). Sift the self-raising flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer, then add the sugar, coconut and ground almonds.
Using a hand whisk, stir until the ingredients are combined, then add the butter, eggs, milk, lime zest and juice. Attach the bowl to the mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Scrape down the base and sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula and fold for a couple of seconds to ensure the mix is fully combined.
Scrape t.
