Colossal Coconut Cake with Lime Curd Recipe

Grease and flour two 9-inch (1.5 L) round cake pans. In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, using electric mixer, beat granulated sugar with butter until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Making three additions of each, alternately beat in milk and flour mixture. Divide batter between pans; bake in 350F/180C oven until tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool.

Lime Curd: Combine sugar, salt, yolks, lime rind and juice in heatproof bowl set over pot of simmering water. (Do not let bottom of bowl touch the water.) Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap and let cool; refrigerate until chilled.

Whip cream with icing sugar. Cut cakes in half crosswise. Place one layer on cake plate; spread with layer of lime curd, repeating with remaining layers and lime curd and ending with cake layer. Cover the cake with cream and press the toasted coconut all over the cake.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.