Persimon, Lime & Coconut Cake

Serves 8

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus cooling time

Cooking time: 20-22 minutes

Ingredients:

• 100g butter, at room temperature
• 300g icing sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 lime
• Shredded coconut and lime zest, to decorate

What To Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line 2 x 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tins.
2. Remove and discard the leafy tops from the Spanish Persimon, then chop the fruit. Cook in a little water until tender, then puree in a blender (or use a hand-held stick blender). Leave to cool.
3. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, using a hand-held electric mixer. Beat in the eggs a little at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract, lime zest and 4tbsp of the cooled Persimon puree. Fold in the flour, salt and desiccated coconut, using a large metal spoon.
4. Share the mixture between the tins and level the tops. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until risen and golden. Cool for 10 minutes in the tins, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.
5. For the buttercream, beat together the butter and icing sugar with 2tbsp Persimon puree and the lime zest until light and creamy. Use half to sandwich the two cakes together, then spread the rest over the top of the cake. Decorate with shredded coconut and lime zest.
6. To serve, slice the round cake into 8 equal wedges, then turn these wedges around on the serving plate to form a star shape.