My current Netflix cue consists of Barefoot Contessa’s Back To Basics and The West Wing. That means a whole lot of Ina-isms like “soooo much flavor” and lovable grandpa jokes from President Jed Bartlet. Halfway through Ina whipping lemon mousse, I realized my healthy obsession with lemon zest. I say obsession because when I see (or hear) the word lemon zest, it’s instantly more appealing to me. Yes, the act of lemon zesting can be a pain, but it’s worth it every time. I wouldn’t even buy it if pre-prepared zesting was an option at Whole Foods. There’s an art form to delicately grating, sweeping my finger around the grater for those last bits and then gathering them into a heaping tablespoon. I can smell the bright and fragrant citrus bites wafting in my kitchen as I mix it into batters, pasta dishes, dressings, etc. Enough of me waxing poetic about lemons, let’s get to this particular recipe.
I found this recipe via Short Stack and the layer of crispy coconut flakes on top drew me in. It’s a sweet cake with added density thanks to the greek yogurt, lemon tartness and a coconut crunch. Plus, the lemon glaze really seals the deal. The recipe suggests that you actually rub the sugar and the zest together before anything else, which works to infuse the sugar. I enjoyed this cake as a breakfast with coffee, and it would also be great with tea or as a dessert.
Lemon Coconut Cake from Short Stack Editions
INGREDIENTS:
For the cake:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
¾ cup Greek yogurt (I used 2% but you could try whole)
½ cup melted coconut oil (melt before measuring)
2 large eggs
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
For the syrup:
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9”x5” loaf pan lightly with cooking spray and line with parchment paper (grease parchment paper too; it makes it easier to pull out after baking).
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.
In a large bowl, rub 1 cup of the sugar with the lemon zest until the sugar is fragrant. Whisk in the yogurt, coconut oil, and eggs. Add the flour mixture, and stir to blend.
Scrape the batter into your prepared pan, and smooth the top. Sprinkle coconut flakes over the surface. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. The coconut flakes might brown before the cake is done, so tent the cake loosely with foil at the 30-minute mark.
While the cake bakes, make the syrup by combining the ¼ cup of sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until the sugar has dissolved, then turn off the heat. When the cake is done, brush the top with the syrup. Return to the oven and bake for 5 more minutes to re-crisp the coconut. Remove the cake from the oven, and cool before serving.