Coconut Lime Bundt Cake: Outfit changes

Son's current obsession - multiple outfit changes.  He starts with his morning outfit which invariably starts with his whining, "Can I PLEASE wear SHORT SLEEVES?"  Since Bay Area weather has FINALLY warmed up, I allow him to wear short sleeves, with the caveat that he MUST wear a jacket when outdoors and he has to wear long pants.

But invariably he'll spill.  Then he'll have to change again.  And after spilling on his shirt, he'll change his pants for good measure, in order to "match."  At some point later in the day, he'll look at the beautiful California sunshine and say, "Mom!  I need to wear shorts!!  It's hot outside."

Today - Son went through FOUR outfit changes.  That's as many for how old he is.  That is three more than I did.  If I had my way, I'd literally roll out of bed in the clothes that I am going to wear for the day and only change in the night after my shower.  But Son - he sees something else in his clothes -a chance for independence, a chance to change things up, a chance at a different perspective.

It drives me crazy, it does, because his laundry pile is far bigger than mine.  But I grin and bear it because he likes these choices and it makes him happy.  Definitely doesn't hurt anyone (except my insides as I calculate additional loads of laundry and their cost on the family) and it brings a smile to his face.  Things could be worse.

For as many outfit changes Son has, I have many bundt cake flavor changes.  I've been mulling over many different recipe ideas and plotting how to get them into a bundt pan.  Coconut lime was one that I toyed with but I was very very unsure about the mixing of coconut and lime together in the pan.  The result? Tangy coconut goodness.  It's delicate in its flavor, not overpowering with the cloying sweetness of coconut, but much rather the subtle perfume of coconut and lime.  It's tropical and a winning outfit change for me.

Coconut Lime Bundt Cake with Lime Soaking Syrup
Makes 10-inch bundt cake, serving 12 to 14

Cake
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
Zest of two limes (reserve limes for syrup)
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup canned coconut milk (you will have some leftover)
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Toasted coconut, optional garnish

Syrup
Ingredients
⅔ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Method
Place rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour inside of 10 inch bundt pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

Using either a stand mixer (paddle attachment) or a hand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat at medium-high speed until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating for 30 to 40 seconds after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in lime zest. At low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with coconut milk. (Add a bit of flour, a bit of coconut milk, a bit of flour, a bit of coconut milk, a bit of flour.)

By hand, carefully stir in shredded coconut milk. Pour batter into greased and flour bundt pan.

Bake cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto another rack. Place the cake, on the rack, over a baking sheet.

While cake is baking, make syrup. Combine lime juice and sugar, n a small non reactive saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Using a pastry brush, dab syrup generously all over surface of the warm cake, allowing it to soak into the cake before reapplying. Let the cake cool completely.  Sprinkle toasted coconut if desired.

Printable recipe

my favorite bundt pan


the coconut milk I use