.Recipe of the week.

It's almost Easter {April 24th} and as with every holiday I have had my menu planned months in advance. I thought it would be "fun" {aka easy} to share my menu with you via the weekly recipes of the week. To shake things up a bit I've decided to go in reverse order and start with dessert {the way I imagine meals would begin in a wonderland where I am ruler}. Normally I go with a carrot cake to stay with an Eastery theme but this year I wanted something different and lighter since the main course is so heavy {lamb}. Coconut cake is one of my all time favorites and this one with a twist should be extra delicious! It's a lot of ingredients but I figure that holidays are the best excuse for over the top dishes! Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Ginger-Lime Coconut Cake with Marshmallow Frosting

Ingredients:

For the ginger-lime curd -

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup lime zest {takes about 12 limes}

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

pinch of salt

6 tablespoons butter cut into pieces at room temp

For the cake -

5 cups of sifted flour {sifted first then measured}

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1.5 cups {3 sticks} unsalted butter at room temp

3 cups sugar

8 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk at room temp

Bamboo scewers {these are in every grocery store}

For the frosting -

1.5 cups sugar

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoon light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 {7oz.} package of sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:

For ginger-lime curd:

Whisk eggs, yolks, sugar, lime juice, lime peel, ginger, and salt in large metal bowl to blend. Place bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch simmering water); whisk constantly until curd thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from over simmering water; whisk butter into curd. Strain through fine strainer set over bowl; discard solids in strainer. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd; chill overnight. (Curd can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

For cake:

1. Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter four 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper rounds. Butter parchment; dust with flour. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in another large bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat until very well blended, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions. Divide batter equally among prepared cake pans.

2. Place 2 cake pans on top rack of oven and 2 pans on bottom rack; bake until golden and tester inserted into cake centers comes out clean, reversing pans after 15 minutes, about 30 minutes total. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off parchment paper. Turn cakes right side up on racks; cool cakes completely.

3. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1/3 of ginger-lime curd (about 1/2 cup) over, leaving 1/2-inch plain border around edge of cake. Repeat procedure on 2 more cake layers. Let each cake layer stand 10 minutes. Stack cake layers, curd side up. Top with fourth cake layer. Let cake stand at room temperature while preparing frosting. Insert 3 or 4 bamboo skewers from top to bottom into cake to hold stacked cake layers in place while frosting.

For frosting:

Whisk sugar, egg whites, 1/3 cup water, light corn syrup, and cream of tartar in large metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch simmering water). Using handheld electric mixer, beat on medium speed until mixture resembles soft marshmallow fluff, about 4 minutes. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick, about 3 minutes longer. Remove bowl from over simmering water. Add vanilla extract and continue beating until marshmallow frosting is completely cool, about 5 minutes longer.

Spread marshmallow frosting thinly over top and sides of cake. Remove bamboo skewers. Press flaked coconut into marshmallow frosting on top and sides of cake. (Cake can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.)