My default treats to take racing tend to be something chocolatey and rich, something light and lemony, and a batch of ginger shortbread (a standing request from the skipper). But after spending some time experimenting with dairy-free baking, I wanted another option up my sleeve that stepped away from my usual fallbacks. In the middle of winter, a little tropical inspiration felt like exactly the right way to go, it was. This Dairy-Free Lime and Coconut Cake delivers on all fronts.

There was no need to reinvent the wheel for this recipe either. My Dairy-Free Lemon and Almond Cake already had the light, tender texture I was chasing, so it became the starting point. Swapping lemon and almond for fresh lime and coconut transformed it into something completely different while keeping everything I loved about the original. Fresh limes are absolutely worth seeking out for their bright, fragrant flavour, and I finished mine with a simple lime glaze and toasted coconut. As always, there are plenty of ways to make it your own if you’d like to take it in a different direction.

Whenever I stray from crew favourites like my Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies, I’m never quite sure how they’ll be received. The regulars tend to expect their favourites to appear on board, so introducing something new always feels like a small gamble. Thankfully, this one passed the test. The container came back empty after making its way around the deck, and there were even a few murmurs that it deserved a place in the regular rotation. I’ll take that as a win. Whether you’re feeding a boat full of hungry sailors, friends dropping in for afternoon tea, or simply yourself over the next few days, this is one that’s definitely worth making. I’m certainly not one to avoid baking just because it’s only me left to enjoy the leftovers.

Worth Making?

Yes – if you love bright citrus cakes with tropical vibes
Yes – because the coconut keeps the cake moist while balancing the sharpness of the lime
Yes – if you want a simple cake that can equally be transformed into an elegant tropical dessert
Skip it – if you want a long lasting cake, this will get eaten quickly and needs to be as it goes dry quicker than dairy inclusive versions
Skip it – if you only have bottled lime juice. Fresh zest and juice make all the difference
Skip it – if you’re after an ultra-rich butter cake. This one is lighter, fresher and designed to let the citrus shine

Ingredients

180 grams 180g dairy-free butter (or good quality plant butter), softened
3 large Eggs separated
220 grams 220g self-raising flour
60 grams 60g desiccated coconut
1/2 tsp ½ tsp baking powder
pinch Sea salt
2 zest limes
45 ml fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
60 ml coconut cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Coconut and Lime Glaze

180 grams icing sugar
2-3 Tb fresh lime juice
1 Tb coconut cream
pinch sea salt

Instructions

Heat oven to 170°C fan (190°C conventional).
Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin or 23 x 13cm loaf tin.
Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (3–4 minutes).
Beat in the egg yolks one at a time.Mix in the lime zest, juice, vanilla and coconut cream.
Fold in the flour, baking powder, salt and coconut.
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold one-third into the batter to loosen it, then gently fold through the remainder.
Spoon into the tin.Bake for 40–50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from the tin.

Coconut and Lime Glaze

Whisk together icing sugar, coconut cream, lime juice and salt. Drizzle over cooled cake and top with extra desiccated coconut

Make it your own way

Fold through 100g fresh or frozen raspberries before baking
Top with passionfruit pulp instead of toasted coconut
Bake as 12–14 muffins (20–25 minutes)
Turn it into a layer cake with whipped coconut cream and lime curd between the layers
Serve with your favourite tropical sorbet and a passionfruit syrup for a dairy free dessert

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