Coconut lime Bundt cake

Low maintenance and easy to share, Bundt cakes might be one of life's secrets to happiness. This coconut Bundt cake is a winner, with or without the added tang of lime juice and zest. 

You know me and my Bundt cakes.

No layers to mess with, no teetering heights, no great expectations. (And I'm sure I don't have to tell you that expectations are everything. Keep them low – or at least realistic – and life is much happier.)

I read recently that another secret to happiness is visiting the library. Some researcher determined that library visits deliver as much happiness as a pay raise! If you're me, you must pay your massive fine first. Only then will you enjoy your visits. I won't tell you how big it was.

This time, I checked out "One Bowl Baking" by Yvonne Ruperti. My branch is small, so there is very little choice, and this is a mercy. Whatever is on the new book shelf is what I take. I've made three delicious things from it, but wanted to let you in on this Bundt cake first.

I made it for a meeting at church and had enough leftover to bring to clients the next day. (Another Bundt cake plus: They can be cut into at least 12 pieces.) Besides cake flour (which I used and recommend you do, too) I had everything for it in my pantry. And that makes me over-the-moon happy.

Coconut lime Bundt cake
I followed Yvonne's recipe almost exactly except I wanted a little tang. So I added lime juice and zest, but you can take that out if you want pure coconut. And I prefer my coconut toasted, but she doesn't call for that either.

Cake batter

20 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for buttering the pan

1-3/4 cups, plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1-1/4 cups full fat coconut milk 

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 tablespoon vanilla

2-1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting

2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

Glaze

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons full fat coconut milk

Juice and zest from one medium lime

1/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted in the oven for 4-5 minutes if you wish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan.

2. In the bowl of a mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and salt until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in the coconut milk, shredded coconut, and vanilla. Remove bowl from mixer and stir the flour and baking powder in by hand until just incorporated.

3. Spoon the batter into the pan and bake until golden, just firm, and a toothpick comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan to cool completely before glazing.

4. To make the glaze, stir the sugar, coconut milk, and lime juice together in a bowl until smooth. Spoon over the top of the cooled cake. Mix the coconut with the lime zest and sprinkle mixture over the top so it sticks to the glaze.