Frosted Lemon Cake

1.Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly butter two 8-in. (20-cm) round cake pans. Line bottoms with circles of lightly buttered waxed paper or parchment paper. In a bowl, using a fork, stir flour with coconut, baking powder and salt until evenly mixed. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar for 3 min. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, gradually beat in half of flour mixture, then 1 cup (250 mL) coconut milk (save rest of coconut milk for icing), ending with flour mixture. Divide batter between prepared pans. Smooth tops.

2.Bake in centre of oven until a cake tester inserted into centre of cakes comes out clean, 30 to 40 min. Cool in pans on a rack for 10 min. Run a knife around inside edge of pans. Turn cakes onto rack to cool completely. If baking ahead, wrap in plastic wrap. Cakes will keep well at room temperature overnight.

3.For icing, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy, 2 to 3 min. Gradually beat in icing sugar, scraping down the sides as needed. Mixture will be dry at this point. Beat in honey, vanilla and ¼ cup (50 mL) coconut milk. (Save leftover milk for future use.) Beat until smooth. Refrigerate icing at least 1 hour before spreading on cake.

To ice, slice each cake in half horizontally. Place bottom layer on a cake plate. Spread with 150 ml lemon curd nearly to the edge. Repeat with remaining cake layers and curd, ending with cake. Spread icing over top and sides of cake. Press toasted coconut into icing on sides of cake. Cake is easier to cut if refrigerated overnight. It will keep well, covered and refrigerated, up to 3 days.