Since closing The Caker bakery in September last year I’ve had countless requests from people desperate to recreate our beloved menu cakes. So I figured I’ll start sharing them here, beginning with a very classic OG, plum lime coconut, or PLC as we used to call it. You could make this exact recipe into a whole double layer 22cm cake too, just increase the bake time by about 5 minutes. Fresh As plum slices are a key component here - nothing can match their intense, quintessential plum flavour and deep purple colour.
Makes 10-12 cupcakes or minicakes
x Jordan
For the cake
150g butter, at room temperature
150g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 free range eggs
30g ground almonds
70g fine desiccated coconut, unsweetened
100g plain, white all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch sea salt
½ cup / 120g full-fat unsweetened Greek yogurt
Juice and zest of 2 limes
5-6 Watties tinned Black Doris plums, halved and stones removed
For the icing
150g butter, at room temperature
220g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
100g cream cheese, at room temperature
For the decorations
2 tbsp lime or lemon curd, store-bought
Handful of coconut flakes, lightly toasted
Handful of Fresh As plum slices
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius on fan bake. Line or grease (very well) 10-12 holes of a large cupcake tin.
To make the cake, in the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale, light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one by one, mixing well before adding in the next.
Combine the ground almonds, coconut, flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
In 2 parts add in the dry ingredients, being very careful not to overmix.
Finally, fold through the yogurt along with the lime juice and zest.
Evenly divide the batter between the cupcake holes. Drop a plum half into each one and press down into the batter.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes. The cakes are ready when golden in colour, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool for around 10 minutes in the tray before turning out onto a cooling rack.
Meanwhile make the icing. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, icing sugar and vanilla until very pale, light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese little by little and continue beating until the icing is completely smooth.
When the cakes are fully cooled, use a piping bag or a ziplock bag with one corner cut off to neatly swirl some icing onto each one. Decorate with a drizzle of lemon or lime curd, a scattering of toasted coconut flakes and finally crush over some Fresh As plum slices.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.