Coconut Lime Gateau

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter, room temp
• 1 cup caster sugar
• grated rind of 2 limes
• 4 eggs
• 4 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 cup desiccated coconut

Frosting

• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp water
• pinch of cream of tartar
• 2 egg white, whisked stiffly

Garnish

• 1 lime, cut into sliver thin slices
• 3 cups shredded coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease and line two 9 inch round baking tins.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Cream butter until soft. Add sugar, lime rind and beat until pale and fluffy.
5. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
6. Gradually fold in dry ingredients to we, alternating with the lime juice, and coconut.
7. Divide mixture between cake pans and bake for 30 minutes until golden.
8. Cook in tins on a wire rack and then after 10 minutes, flip over and peel off parchment liner.

For the frosting

1. Heat sugar, water, cream of tartar until dissolved.
2. Boil to reach 250F on a sugar thermometer.
3. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute, then whisk in egg until thick.
4. Frost the first layer of cake, and then sandwich the second layer on top, followed by frosting on entire cake. Reserve about 1 cup of frosting for garnish.
5. Add remaining frosting to a piping bag and using a wide tip, pipe ping pong ball sized circles around the perimeter of the cake.
6. Sprinkle entire cake with shredded coconut.
7. Garnish with lime slices.
8. Refridgerate for 2 hours before serving.