Something Borrowed Won’t Make You Blue

This coconut-lemon cake is based on borrowed ideas. The cake itself comes from an old handwritten recipe card I found in my collection a few weeks ago. I don’t remember who it came from or when. The addition of the raspberries was inspired by a dessert at the Manhattan food market and restaurant Mad 61.

The cake layers include generous amounts of butter and the usual ingredients of flour, sugar and eggs. The icing is a quick one, consisting of nothing more than butter, powdered sugar, egg yolks, and lemon juice and coconut flakes. After icing the cake, I sprinkled extra coconut on the top, added mint sprigs as a garnish and served it with a bowl of fresh raspberries.

This delicious cake would make a special ending for any celebration or important menu, but it is so simple and straightforward to prepare that you could easily offer it at a casual get-together. It can be completely assembled a day ahead and will need only to be brought to room temperature before serving.

COCONUT-LEMON CAKE WITH FRESH RASPBERRIES

CAKE

2 1/3 cups flour plus extra for cake pans

2 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup 1% or 2% milk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons butter plus extra for pans

1 1/3 cups sugar

3 eggs

Sift together flour and baking powder in bowl. Mix milk and vanilla extract in another bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter in mixing bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients and liquid ones alternately, beginning and ending with dry.

Pour batter into 2 buttered and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees on middle rack until wood pick inserted into cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove. Invert cake layers onto cooling rack and cool completely.

ICING AND GARNISH

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten to blend

2/3 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

Mint sprigs for garnish

1 pint fresh raspberries

Warm mixing bowl with hot water and then pat dry. Combine egg yolks, powdered sugar, lemon juice and butter in prepared bowl and beat with mixer on medium speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup coconut flakes.

Place 1 cake layer flat side up on serving plate. Coat top with 1/3 cup of icing. Top with remaining layer, flat side down. Ice top and sides of cake with remaining icing. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup coconut as border on cake top. (Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30 minute before serving.)

Garnish top of cake with mint sprigs and serve with fresh raspberries.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Each of 12 servings contains about:

489 calories; 345 mg sodium; 157 mg cholesterol; 28 grams fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.10 gram fiber.