Coconut-Lime Cake
Note: Find unsweetened coconut at co-ops and natural-food stores. The coconut provides much of the bulk of the cake layers, which are flourless and almost like macaroons. Adapted from a recipe in "Gorgeous Cakes," by Annie Bell.
Ingredients
• 12 oz. (about 4 1/2 c.) unsweetened coconut, plus coconut
shreds for decorating
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
Lime mousse:
• 2 limes
• 2 ( 1/4 -oz.) envelopes unsweetened gelatin
• 1 c. powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 c. plain full-fat yogurt
• 2 c. heavy cream
• Green food coloring, optional
Directions
To prepare the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil
3 (8-inch) pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly
oil the paper.
Whirl the coconut in a food processor until it is the texture of
coarse meal. Add the baking powder and whirl briefly, to mix. In
the large bowl of the electric mixer, beat the egg whites until
they are frothy, then add the sugar in a slow stream, and beat at
high speed several minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until
the mixture is thickened and is starting to get some body. In the
small mixer bowl (no need to clean beaters), whip the egg yolks briefly.
Gently fold the yolks into the whites, and when they are almost
fully mixed, gently fold in the coconut mixture. Divide evenly
among the three pans. Bake about 20 minutes. The tops should be
firm. Cool 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge, invert and peel
away parchment paper. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the mousse: Grate the zest of the limes and set
aside. Juice the limes into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin onto
the lime juice. Allow to thicken for 5 minutes, then add 1/4 cup of
boiling water, stirring well to dissolve the gelatin. Set aside.
Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl, gradually stir in the
yogurt, then the gelatin, then the cream. Stir in the zest, then
food coloring if you like. Chill the mixture 30 minutes or more,
until it begins to mound when you stir it.
Fill and top the cake layers with thirds of the mousse. Chill at
least 4 hours. Sprinkle rim with extra coconut if you like.