Irresistibly light and perfectly balanced, this heavenly cake is pure bliss.
Lia Townsend’s Flower-Topped Coconut Sponge Cake Is a Taste of Paradise
Irresistibly light and perfectly balanced, this heavenly cake is pure bliss.
Welcome to Put on a Spread, a recipe series that takes you inside the kitchens – and dining rooms – of some of our favourite home cooks. For this instalment, grazing table enthusiast and founder of Stories to Gather, Lia Townsend, shares her recipe for a coconut sponge cake.
If you’re looking for a dessert to please the eyes (and stomachs) of any guest, look no further than Lia Townsend’s coconut sponge cake with cream cheese frosting.
This two-tiered masterpiece is a rendition of one of Lia’s favourite cake recipes, which has been lovingly updated in honour of Bed Threads’ 7th Birthday.
With light and airy sponge layers stuck together with generous lashings of coconut cream cheese, we can say with certainty you’ll be going in for seconds.
If you’re in need of a sweet treat to bring to the table this weekend, or simply would like to indulge in a delicious dessert, let Lia’s coconut sponge be the recipe to satisfy all cravings.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 350g caster sugar
- 360g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 125g canned coconut milk, stir before measuring
- 150g buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon coconut extract
- 110g white chocolate, melted
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 egg whites, at room temperature
For the icing
- 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 250g cream cheese, at room temperature
- 340g icing mixture, sifted
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- Pinch of salt
Method
Making the cake
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan forced) and grease and line two 20cm heart cake tins with baking paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light in colour and fluffy in texture, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- In a medium size bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a small mixing bowl stir together the coconut milk, buttermilk, and coconut extract.
- Once the butter and sugar is pale and fluffy, pour in the melted white chocolate and mix on medium speed until incorporated.
- Scrape down the sides and add the eggs and egg whites into the bowl, and mix again on medium speed. Continue to beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture gets smooth in texture and increases slightly in volume.
- Turn the mixer down to low speed, and add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by ½ the coconut liquid mixture. Add another ⅓ of the flour, the remaining ½ of the coconut liquid mixture.
- Turn the mixer off and add the remaining ⅓ flour mixture and finish mixing by hand until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake tins and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for around 30-40 minutes, swapping the positions of the cakes after 20 minutes so they cook evenly. Insert a thin skewer in the centre of the cake to check when they are ready. Once baked, the skewer should come out cleanly.
- Once baked, allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack and removing any baking paper. Let the cakes cool completely before icing.
Making the icing
- Beat softened butter and cream cheese using a paddle attachment in a mixer on high for a few minutes.
- Add in the icing mixture, coconut extract and salt and beat for a further 10 minutes until the icing is pale, fluffy and smooth.
Assembling the cake
- To serve, place one cake on to the cake stand or board and use a palette knife to spread half of the icing.
- Add the second cake on top and repeat the process of icing the top and the sides of the cake.
- Decorate with edible flowers and enjoy!
For more from Lia, follow her at @stories_to_gather
Photography by bree.castel.photo
