Serves 8

125g butter, softened

1 cup caster sugar

3 large free-range eggs

1 ½ cups plain flour

a good pinch of salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup full cream milk

¾ cup desiccated coconut

1 teaspoon Heilala vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Icing

1 cup icing sugar, sifted

finely grated zest of 2 limes

small knob of butter

about ½ cup coconut flakes, toasted

250g block white chocolate for shaving

freeze dried raspberry powder, optional

Heat the oven to 160C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk and mix until just combined. Repeat with the remainder flour mixture and milk.  Remove bowl from the mixer and fold in the coconut, vanilla extract and lemon juice.

Place in the prepared tin and smooth the top. Place in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes until springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 5 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.

Make the icing, place the icing sugar in a bowl with the zest of 1 lime and the butter. Drizzle in enough boiling water to make a thin icing, mixing well.  Pour over the cooled cake then top with the toasted coconut, white chocolate shavings and the zest of the remaining lime. Dust with a little raspberry powder, if using.

Store in an airtight container.

How to make chocolate shavings – place the chocolate on a board with the flat side uppermost. Drag the blade of a large sharp knife from the top edge, down toward the bottom edge to cut very thin shavings of white chocolate.  You will not use a lot of the chocolate, so wrap well and store for other uses.

Tip – if the mixture begins to curdle after the addition of the final egg, add 2 tablespoons of the measured flour to bring the mixture back.