Madeira cake with coconut & lime frosting

One of the cakes I discovered after moving to Ireland was Madeira cake. I was told it was a sponge but I thought it felt slightly denser than the sponge I was used to back in the East (like the 'traditional' birthday cakes in Taiwan). Still, Madeira cake became my favourite tea cake.


Ever since I started my wheat-free journey though, I haven't been able to eat Madeira as I wasn't able to find a wheat-free recipe that looked convincing enough. But I came across one last week and decided to tweak it a little and give it a go.

Ingredients for the cake

1 C raw coconut oil, melted
½ C organic honey
10 medium free range eggs
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ tsp Himalayan fine sea salt
½ tsp baking soda
¾ C coconut flour, sifted
½ C almond flour, sifted

Ingredients for the frosting

1 can coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
2 limes, zested and juiced
½ C organic honey

2 medium loaf pans

Method for the cake

1. In a bowl, combine the melted coconut oil and honey.
2. In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, lemon and orange zest, salt, and baking soda. Whisk for approximately 2 minutes till the mixture froths.
3. Mix in the coconut oil and honey and whisk for approximately 1 minute till thoroughly combined.
4. Mix in the orange and lemon juice in two batches and whisk for approximately 1 minute till thoroughly combined.
5. Mix in the sifted coconut and almond flour in batches and blend until all the flour is fully combined and there are no lumps.
6. Let the batter sit for around 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170⁰C.
7. Grease and line the base of 2 medium loaf pans if required.
8. Pour half the batter into each pan.
9. Bake at 170⁰C in a water bath for approximately 50 minutes, or until small cracks form in the top of the cake and it springs back when touched.
10. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before turning the cakes out onto a cooling rack.
11. Leave the loaves to cool completely before frosting.

Method for the frosting

1. Open the can of coconut milk and spoon off the coconut cream that has solidified at the top of the can and add this to a small mixing bowl.
2. Add the juice and zest of 2 limes and honey and, using a hand blender, blend till all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
3. Quickly ice the cakes with the frosting before the coconut cream warms up too much.
4. Put the frosted loaves into the freezer to set the frosting. Once the frosting is set, let the cake return to room temperature before serving (the frosting won't slide off).
5. Store the remaining of the cake in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Notes

1. Beautiful cake that's light and moist. A very good flourless version of Madeira cake.
2. The coconut and lime frosting was delicious. But I do feel that it could have been a thicker layer. Next time I shall use 2 cans of coconut milk and perhaps add a bit more honey but keep the same amount of lime.
3. I also wonder if this recipe would work for one large loaf? Perhaps next time if I'm feeling brave enough, I'd use the same amount of batter for the larger loaf pan I have.