Sydney-based teacher-turned-cake-queen Katherine Sabbath, has a cult following on Instagram. She collaborated with Pyrex on this recipe to celebrate the launch of their new Vintage Charm range.
INGREDIENTS
Cake
- 120g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon rind
- 1 ½ cups (330g) caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups (310ml) buttermilk
- 4 large egg whites
- 2 ½ cups (450g) self-raising flour, sifted
- ½ cup (40g) desiccated coconut
Maple cream cheese
- 750g cream cheese, softened
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup (160g) icing sugar mixture
- ¼ cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
To decorate
- 1 cup coconut flakes (I like to use a mixture of lightly toasted and untoasted)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- ½ cup 100% fruit blueberry jam
- ½ cup (125ml) pure maple syrup
METHOD
Step 1: Preheat oven to 160°C, fan-forced. Grease or line a 19cm round springform cake pan (Bakers Secret) with non-stick baking paper.
Step 2: Place butter, lemon extract, lemon rind, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a clean Pyrex bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg whites until light and frothed.
Step 3: Stir in half the sifted flour and half the desiccated coconut, until just combined. Beat in half of the egg and milk mixture, until combined. Then stir in remaining flour and coconut. Finally, beat in the remaining egg and milk mixture until incorporated.
Step 4: Pour mixture into prepared cake pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 20 minutes before turning onto wire rack, top-side up, to cool completely. Cover with cling wrap and set aside until assembly.
Step 5: Place cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth.
Step 6: Add butter, vanilla bean paste, maple syrup and lemon juice and beat until light and fluffy. Cover with plastic wrap and set filling aside until needed.
Step 7: Using a long, thin knife trim top of cake to flatten if needed, then cut cake horizontally into two layers.
Step 8: Secure the bottom layer of your lemon coconut cake onto your favourite cake stand, serving platter or a cake board by applying a small dollop of maple cream cheese. Use a butter knife to spread blueberry jam over cake layer.
Step 9: Next, fill a pastry bag lined with a round-tipped nozzle with maple cream cheese. Starting from the outside edge, pipe peaks around the top of cake layer, slowly working towards the middle, until completely covered. Stud with some fresh blueberries and coconut flakes. Repeat this process with the second cake layer, including blueberry jam. Finish with a generous drizzling of maple syrup and serve immediately.
Katherine’s Tip: If your filling appears to be too soft to pipe neatly into your cake layers, leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes in order to firm up the mixture to a more workable consistency.
