Raspberry, coconut and lemon layer cake - a gorgeous cake for Spring with coconut cake layers, raspberry buttercream and lemon curd. This post is sponsored by Lio-Licious.
The weather seems to have finally taken a turn for the better and today we have blue skies and sunshine. I am hoping for a sunny Easter weekend, though that may just be wishful thinking. Whatever the weather, this lovely raspberry, coconut and lemon layer cake would make a wonderful celebration cake for Easter; or any Springtime event.
The cake consists of three layers of soft, moist coconut cake, with light, creamy raspberry buttercream and tangy lemon curd between the layers.
To make the raspberry buttercream, I added freeze dried raspberry powder to a cooked flour frosting. Using freeze dried powder enables you to get a strong raspberry flavour without risking the buttercream splitting due to adding too much extra liquid.
It also gives the buttercream a beautiful, all-natural pink colour; no need to use any artificial colourings here! It would also work with strawberry, cherry, blackcurrant or blueberry powder instead of the raspberry.
Whole and crushed freeze dried raspberries also make brilliant edible decorations for the cake.
I pressed handfuls of crushed freeze dried raspberries around the bottom of the cake; and decorated the top with whole and crushed raspberries, a sprinkling of desiccated coconut, a few sprigs of mint and some dried rosebuds.
I used Lio-Licious freeze dried raspberries to make this cake. They make a wide range of freeze dried fruit products which I love, as well as things like freeze dried cheeses and olives; which I am very keen to try baking bread with!
The coconut cakes are really delicious and have a lovely soft, moist texture but they are a little crumbly due to the coconut in them. If you prefer then the raspberry buttercream would also be delicious paired with my vanilla cake or chocolate cake instead.
I baked my cakes in three 15cm/6 inch round tins; because you know I like my cakes tall! If you don't have three 15cm tins then the mixture can be baked in two 20cm/8in ones instead (it will probably take a little longer to cook in that case).
Raspberry, Coconut and Lemon Layer Cake Recipe:
Raspberry, Coconut And Lemon Layer Cake
Ingredients
Coconut Cakes:
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) full fat coconut milk
- 40 g (½ cup) unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut extract optional
- 175 g (¾ cup) butter softened
- 200 g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 200 g (1 + ⅔ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 ¾ tsp baking powder
Raspberry Buttercream:
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) full fat milk
- 6 Tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- 270 g (1 cup + 2 Tbsp) softened butter
- 270 g (1 ⅓ cups) caster sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 5 Tbsp freeze dried raspberry powder
To Fill And Decorate:
- about 4 heaped spoonfuls lemon curd
- crushed and whole freeze dried raspberries
- desiccated coconut
- mint sprigs
- dried rosebuds (optional)
Instructions
Cakes:
- Place the coconut milk in a small pan and bring to the boil, remove from the heat and stir in the desiccated coconut then the vanilla and coconut extracts. Set aside for about half an hour until the mixture has cooled and the desiccated coconut has softened.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4, grease three 15cm/6in round cake tins (or two 20cm/8in ones) and line the bases and sides with baking paper.
- Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Fold it into the butter mixture a little at a time, alternating with spoonfuls of the cooled coconut mixture.
- Divide the batter between the prepared tins and level it, bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Leave the cakes to cool in their tins.
Buttercream:
- Whisk together the milk and flour in a small pan until smooth. Place over a medium-low heat and whisk constantly until the mixture is very thick and paste-like. Scrape into a bowl, cover with clingfilm directly on the surface and refrigerate until completely cold.
- Once the flour mixture is cold, place the butter and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk on high speed for a good few minutes until extremely light and fluffy. Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
- Whisk in the flour mixture a tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition, until it has all been mixed in and the buttercream is completely smooth, it should almost have the consistency of whipped cream.
- Finally whisk in the freeze dried raspberry powder.
Assembly:
- Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or serving platter. Put a large dollop of the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.
- Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the first cake layer then pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge (this acts as a dam to stop the lemon curd from leaking out.). Fill the middle with a couple of heaped spoonfuls of lemon curd.
- Place another cake layer on top and press down very gently. Repeat the same process as the previous layer then place the final cake layer on top; upside down so that the top of the cake is perfectly flat.
- Spread a very thin layer of buttercream all over the cake then place it in the fridge for half an hour to firm up a little.
- Spread another, thicker layer of buttercream over the cake; using a leveler or palette knife to get it as smooth as possible.
- Take a handful of crushed freeze dried raspberries and carefully press them around the bottom of the cake. Repeat until you have gone all the way round. Top the cake as you like with freeze dried raspberries, desiccated coconut, mint sprigs and dried rosebuds. Store in an airtight container for up to five days.
Notes
This post is sponsored by Lio-Licious. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to continue doing what I love – playing with food and making a mess of my kitchen.
Raj
Quick question is this self raising flour as I have never had luck with cakes with plain flour?
hannahhossack
Hi Raj. No it's plain flour, not self-raising. That's why the recipe includes baking powder.
Jessica
Hi. I only have 2% milk for the buttercream frosting. Will that work?
hannahhossack
Hi Jessica, I think that should be ok.
Daniela Soares
Hello!
The cake looks ammazing and I would like to trie it for my mother`s birthday. My only doubt is if there is possible to replace de freeze dried raspeberries for fresh ones because I`m not shure I will find any.
Tahks
Daniela
hannahhossack
Hi Daniela, unfortunately not, fresh raspberries would add too much moisture and the buttercream would probably split. Freeze dried ones are difficult to find in shops but they are fairly readily available online (depending on where you live I suppose).
Irina
Can you please tell me what lemon curd recipe did you use? Thank you!
hannahhossack
Hi Irina, I think I just used a shop bought one but I do have a great vegan lemon curd recipe! https://domesticgothess.com/blog/2017/09/12/vegan-lemon-curd/
Irina
Thank you! Will be making it for my grandma’s 85 bday party 🙂 super excited!
Katharine Shipley
Hi
I’m wanting a bigger cake, would doubling it and using 4x 20cm tins work?
Thanks
Hannah
Hi Katharine, that should be fine, you could also split the batter between 3 20cm tins rather than 4 for thicker layers.
Kayla
Hey there, does this cake/buttercream freeze well?
Thanks 🙂
hannahhossack
Hi Kayla, the cake will be fine but freezing may change the texture of the buttercream. It could be fine but I haven't tried so can't say for sure.
Izabela
I’ve made it as my lockdown birthday cake and it was incredible. I’m so glad I didn’t have to share it with anyone! well... apart from hunny and kids but eat most of it myself... definite keeper. I’ve doubled the recipe and made two 23cm round tins that I cut in two to make 4 tier cake.
Talia hammond
Hello. I noticed that your recipe has the measurements listed in metric and us standard. Which one would be better to use?
Hannah
Hi Talia, always metric. I provide US conversions due to popular demand but cups are a very innaccurate measuring system so for the best results when baking you should always use a scale.
Talia Hammond
Thank you so much!! I will definitely use metric the 🙂
I am so excited to try out your recipe!
Sam
It states flour in your buttercream is this an error..did you mean icing sugar?
It's just I have never made buttercream using flour!
Hannah
Hi Sam, no it is not an error, it is an ermine frosting, also known as a cooked flour frosting which is very different to a regular American buttercream!
Nicole
I haven't actually made the full recipe, just the buttercream. I came here to say this buttercream recipe has completely changed my life. best. buttercream. recipe. ever. it tastes like sweet whipped cream, but more indulgent, its incredible. I now use the recipe without the freeze-dried raspberry for plain vanilla buttercream and holy crap its the most delicious buttercream ever. thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
Kati
Would this recipe work for mini cupcakes?!
Thanks!
Kati
Hannah
Hi Kati, I haven't tried but I don't see why not.
Madeline
Is full fat coconut milk the canned type used for curries? Or still just a carton?
Hannah
Hi Madeline, yes it's the canned type.
Christina
Hi! I'd love to make a vegan version of this for a friend's birthday next week, would you recommend using an egg replacer powder/flax egg and if so would I need to replace any of the moisture content so it doesn't end up too dry?
Hannah
Hi Christina, honestly I would recommend making an already vegan recipe rather than swapping out ingredients in a non-vegan one. Veganising things can be tricky and it is never really a case of just directly swapping ingredients, I usually have to rework the entire recipe to make it work well without eggs.
Christina Summerfield
OK thanks! I'll use the sponge recipe from this one then as the flavours are the same https://domesticgothess.com/blog/2019/06/01/coconut-layer-cake/