Ingredients

For the cake:
• 2 cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (stir well before measuring)
• 4 tablespoons butter (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 4 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 2 cups (400 grams) sugar
• 2 limes (zest of 2 limes plus juice of 1)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons dark rum (optional, but so good)
• 3/4 cup grated coconut (unsweetened or sweetened)
For the glaze:
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon coconut milk
• 3/4 - 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• extra toasted coconut for topping

Instructions

For the Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
3. Zest both the limes and rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers.
4. Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan, add the butter and juice of one lime and heat until the milk is hot and the butter is melted. Remove from the heat, but keep warm.
5. Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with lime zest at medium-high speed until pale, thick and almost doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and the rum, if you’re using it. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and stopping just when the flour disappears.
6. Keeping the mixer on low, add the grated coconut, mixing only until it is blended, then steadily add the hot milk and butter. When the mixture is smooth, stop mixing and give the batter a couple of turns with a rubber spatula, just to make certain that any dry ingredients that might have fallen to the bottom of the bowl are incorporated. Pour the batter into the pan and give the pan a few back-and-forth shakes to even the batter.
7. Bake for 60 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a thin knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before taking the cake out of the pan and cooling to room temperature on the rack.
For the glaze:
8. Combine the juice of half a lime with 1 tablespoon coconut milk. Add powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency and pour over the cake. Sprinkle toasted coconut over the top.