A scrumptious and low carb coconut cake filled with a tangy sugar free lemon curd. The lemon curd and cake can be prepared several days in advance and refrigerated. Assemble and frost the cake the day before needed so the lemon curd will have time to set up.
Mix the Swerve and arrowroot powder together in a small pot. Add the egg yolks and lemon zest, whole eggs, and lemon juice whisking thoroughly between each addition.
Turn the heat to medium and whisk until the mixture just begins to thicken. Adjust the heat to medium-low and whisk briskly until the mixture thickens, all at once.
Turn off the heat and continue whisking for 1 minute. Whisk in the butter. Strain the mixture into a clean bowl. Cool, cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days.
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and position rack to the lower third. Spray two 6 x 2 -inch round pans (or three 8x1-inch pans) with baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment.
Add the first 5 ingredients to a medium bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites and beat again until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, add the remaining dry cake ingredients and whisk to combine and break up any lumps. Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated. Add two eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and repeat the procedure ending with the final addition of the dry ingredients. Lastly, add the almond milk and beat, keeping a nice fluffy texture. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and spread with an offset spatula. Lift the pans a few inches off of the counter and drop 2-3 times to knock out any large air bubbles.
Place pans in the oven and raise the temperature to 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, then back to 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes more. The cakes are done when firm to the touch but they still sound a little moist. (Cooking time will be less with three 8-inch pans.) Remove cakes from the oven and cover with a clean tea towel to cool completely. They will sink a bit in the middle. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate until needed.
To Assemble:
Whip the heavy whipping cream with the sweetener and flavorings until almost stiff. Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the whipped cream and whip until very stiff and almost clumpy. Put ⅓ of the whipped cream into a pint ziploc bag and snip off ⅜ inch off the corner (or slide a large round open tip into the bag).
Remove and reserve ¼ cup of lemon curd. Mix the remaining lemon curd to loosen it.
For 6-inch pans: Slightly slice off the tops to even out the cakes and then slice each cake in half horizontally. Place one cake half on the serving plate and squeeze a ring or dam of whipped cream along the inside edge of the cake. Spread ⅓ of the lemon curd on the cake up to the dam. Top with another layer of cake, pressing lightly to level. Follow the same procedure and repeat. Top with the remaining cake layer.
For 8-inch pans: Do the same as above except don’t slice the cakes in half. Spread ½ of the lemon curd on the bottom cake layer up to the whipped cream dam. Top with another layer of cake and follow the same procedure. Top with the remaining cake layer.
To Decorate:
Frost the cake with the whipped cream. Using small handfuls, apply the flaked coconut to the sides of the cake. Stick 4-5 toothpicks into the top and carefully cover the cake in cling film. Refrigerate overnight.
Before serving, remove the toothpicks and mix the remaining lemon curd with enough water (2-3 tbsp.) to make a spoonable (but not runny) mixture. Spoon the lemon curd around the top edge of the cake, encouraging it to drip down. Spoon the rest of the lemon curd over the top of the cake and spread gently with the spoon or an offset spatula. Cut and serve.
NOTE: This cake is not overly sweet. If you like your desserts sweet, add liquid stevia drops or stevia glycerite to taste. Fresh raspberries make the perfect garnish.