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Irresistibly light and perfectly balanced, this heavenly cake is pure bliss.

| By Antonia Day | Journal

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.

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

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