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Lime and coconut angel food cake with pineapple-gin glaze

If you're after a light cake, this one's for you. A lightly boozy, tangy icing adds a little lusciousness.

By Emma Knowles
  • 20 mins preparation
  • 45 mins cooking (plus cooling)
  • Serves 10 - 12
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Lime and coconut angel food cake with pineapple-gin glaze
If you're after a light cake, this one's for you, and it's a great way to use leftover eggwhites - we store ours in the freezer for times such as this. A lightly boozy, tangy icing adds a little lusciousness.

Ingredients

  • 12 eggwhites, at room temperature
  • 165 gm caster sugar
  • 165 gm raw caster sugar
  • Finely grated rind of 3 limes, plus extra to serve
  • Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 160 gm plain flour
  • 100 gm dessicated coconut or moist coconut flakes
Pineapple-gin glaze
  • 200 gm peeled pineapple, coarsely chopped
  • 500 gm pure icing sugar
  • 30 ml lime juice, plus extra for thinning
  • 30 ml gin

Method

Main
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 170C and lightly oil the base of a 23cm angel food cake tin (see note), ensuring no oil gets on the sides of the tin.
  • 2
    Whisk eggwhites, 1 tbsp warm water and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer until soft peaks form (2-3 minutes). Whisking continuously, gradually add half the sugars a tablespoon at a time, and whisk to firm peaks, then whisk in lime rind and vanilla to combine and transfer to a large bowl.
  • 3
    Sieve flour and remaining sugar together four times, then sieve over eggwhite mixture in three batches, folding with a large metal spoon to combine between additions. Fold in coconut, then spoon into prepared tin, smooth top and bake until light golden and springy when touched (40-45 minutes). Invert pan onto a wire rack, cool for an hour, then carefully run a knife around sides of pan to loosen cake and turn onto a cake rack to cool completely.
  • 4
    For pineapple-gin glaze, process pineapple in a blender until smooth and pass through a fine sieve to yield 80ml juice. Sieve icing sugar into a bowl, stir in pineapple juice, lime juice and gin and stir until thick and smooth, adding a little extra lime juice to thin to a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cake and serve scattered with extra lime rind. Note Angel food cake tins are available from speciality cake supply shops and online.