Gluten Free Coconut Sponge with Lime Curd Recipe

Lime and coconut, together. A thing of beauty really, and it definitely helps push through the last weeks of winter. Spring is so close now. The birds are chirping early, my neighbour’s jasmine is flowering and the air is slowly turning a little warmer.

We indulged in this spring time feeling with this Gluten Free Coconut Sponge, eating it outdoors in the sunshine. Using the Well & Good Sponge Mix (click the link to purchase!) as a base this is a gorgeous simple cake for kid’s birthdays, afternoon tea or any time really.

This was my first attempt at coconut whipped cream and I was really happy with the result. The coconut on top adds another dimension to the flavour but also it means the cake is entirely dairy free. For the coconut milk and cream I used a 400g tin of Coconut Milk. When you open the tin all the lovely thick cream is on top. Scoop that out and place in the fridge, it can chill while you bake. In the sponge only use the really watery part of the milk, this replaces the water in the recipe on the back of the pack.

Ingredients:
1 x Well & Good Sponge Cake Mix
3 x Eggs
½ Cup Coconut Milk

Method:
Preheat oven to 190c (175c fan forced)
Grease & Line 20cm round cake tin.
In a mixing bowl combine coconut water, eggs and Sponge Mix. Mix with an electric mixer for 5 minutes, start on slow for 5 seconds then on high speed.
Pour mix into prepared cake tin.
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until when an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Allow to stand for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Once cool, slather lime curd all over the top!

To make the coconut cream:
Take the chilled thick creamy part from the tin of Coconut Milk. Place into chilled bowl.
Whip just like you would cream, dollop creatively on your sponge.

Lime Curd:
Ingredients
3 x Eggs
1/3-1/2 Cup Sugar
Zest of 1 lime
½ cup fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons butter chopped into small pieces

Method:
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a saucepan until the mixture is a light lemony colour.
Add in the zest, lime juice and pieces of butter.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk mixture until it starts to thicken (this step can seem like ages but stick with it, it’s totally worth it).
Allow it to come to a simmer for a couple of second then remove from heat.
Cool to room temperature then place in container in the fridge. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools.