Enjoy a slice of tropical bliss with this easy Lime & Coconut Loaf Cake, finished with a zesty lime drizzle. Moist, light, and full of flavour, it's perfect for any occasion.
Simple to bake and utterly delicious, it's a treat the whole family will love with their afternoon tea.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Lime and Coconut Loaf Cake
🕒 Ready In: 1 hour 10 minutes
👪 Serves: 8
🍽 Calories: 474 calories per slice
🥣 Main Ingredients: Butter, Sugar, Eggs, Flour, Desiccated Coconut, Limes
📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian
👌 Difficulty: Easy
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This easy lime and coconut cake is deliciously moist, and the combination of tropical flavours makes it perfect for summer parties and bake sales (although it will definitely brighten up a cold and grey winter afternoon too)!
The cake is made with your regular cake ingredients such as butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, but in this coconut loaf cake, I've also added ground almonds (which helps keep the cake moist), limes (zest in the cake and juice in the drizzle), as well as desiccated coconut, which gives the cake a great texture.
Love loaf cakes? Try my easy lemon curd loaf cake, apple loaf cake, and marzipan loaf cake too!
Made this loaf cake quite a few times always lovely, been asked to make for friends. Excellent recipe. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Paula
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- It's easy to bake with basic ingredients.
- The texture of the cake is moist and tender thanks to ground almonds and coconut.
- The lime zest and juice create a refreshing citrus flavour.
🥘 Ingredients
A full ingredients list along with Metric and US Customary measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Butter - helps create a tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Caster Sugar - sweetens the cake while helping to lighten the batter when creamed with butter.
Eggs - bind the ingredients together and give the cake structure and a soft, springy crumb. Ensure your eggs are at room temperature.
Flour - self raising flour ensures an even rise to the cake.
Ground Almonds - add a subtle nutty flavour and extra moisture for a soft, tender loaf.
Desiccated Coconut - infuses the cake with tropical flavour and a slight chewiness.
Limes -bring zesty, refreshing citrus notes that lift the sweetness.
Need to substitute an ingredient?
Have an allergy or dietary preference? Let AI customise the recipe for you.
📖 Variations
- Instead of the lime drizzle, you could sprinkle some desiccated coconut on top after baking. This is a lovely way to cut down on sugar while keeping the cake tropical.
- Try folding a handful of blackberries or blueberries into the cake mixture for a fruity twist.
- If limes aren't available, lemons or oranges work just as well and give a slightly different citrus flavour.
- If you're using a 1 lb (500 g) loaf tin, simply halve the ingredients to fit the smaller tin.
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🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Preheat the oven to 180°c (160° fan/ 350F/ Gas 4) and line a 2lb (1 kg) loaf tin with baking paper.
Two: Cream the butter and sugar together until soft and fluffy.
Three: Beat in the eggs.
Four: Fold in the flour, desiccated coconut, and ground almonds.
Five: Stir through the lime zest.
Six: Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin.
Seven: Bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes. Mix together the drizzle ingredients and pour over the hot cake.
Eight: Cool completely before slicing.
Top Tips
- Room‑temperature ingredients - make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature for a smooth, light batter.
- Don't overmix - fold the flour and coconut gently to keep the cake light and fluffy.
- Check doneness carefully - start testing with a skewer around 10 minutes before the end of baking; it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs.
🍴 Serving suggestions
- Serve slices on their own with a cup of tea or coffee for a simple afternoon treat.
- Add a dollop of lightly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a more indulgent dessert.
- Sprinkle extra desiccated coconut or a little lime zest on top for a decorative, flavourful finish.
- Pair with fresh berries for a colourful, fruity twist.
Storage
Store - keep the cooled cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze - wrap the cooled cake in a double layer of foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes - simply replace the flour with a gluten-free self-raising blend. You can add a little xanthan gum to help the cake hold its structure and texture.
Lemons or oranges work well as substitutes and still give a lovely citrus flavour.
Yes - sprinkling desiccated or toasted coconut on top after baking is a great alternative and reduces the sugar content.
Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Cake is too dry | Reduce baking time slightly; measure flour accurately and fold gently. |
| Cake sticks to tin | Line the tin with baking paper and lightly grease before adding batter. |
| Cake sank in the middle | Underbaked or oven temperature too low/high. |
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Recipe
Lime and Coconut Loaf Cake
Would you like to save this?
We'll email you this post for easy access later! You'll also join the Effortless Foodie mailing list and receive my popular 'No Bake Bars and Slices' eBook for free!
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Equipment
- Wooden Spoon
- Baking Paper
- Citrus Juicer
Ingredients
- 225 g Butter softened
- 225 g Caster Sugar
- 4 Eggs
- 175 g Self Raising Flour
- 40 g Desiccated Coconut
- 25 g Ground Almonds
- 3 Limes zest of
For the lime drizzle
- 60 g Caster Sugar
- 2 Limes juice of
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°c (160 fan/ 350F/ Gas 4) and line a 2lb (1 kg) loaf tin with baking paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy.225 g Butter, 225 g Caster Sugar
- Beat in the eggs one by one.4 Eggs
- Fold in the flour, desiccated coconut and ground almonds. until everything is combined175 g Self Raising Flour, 40 g Desiccated Coconut, 25 g Ground Almonds
- Stir through the lime zest.3 Limes
- Spoon the cake mixture into the tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes (start checking after 1 hour).
- Mix together the drizzle ingredients and pour over the hot cake. Allow to cool before slicing.60 g Caster Sugar, 2 Limes
Notes
- Instead of the drizzle icing, you could sprinkle some desiccated coconut on top of the cake after baking. This would reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe.
- Up the fruit, by adding a handful of blackberries to the cake mixture.
- If you can't get hold of limes, you could use lemons or oranges instead.
Shashi says
The combination of lime and coconut indeed sounds delightfully delicious - and I LOVE your use of ground almonds in this as well - such a tasty cake - wishing I was having a slice for breakfast=dessert 😉
Beth Sachs says
The ground almonds make the cake lovely and moist.
Charla says
I love a coconut and lime cake for some reason they always remind me of the summer season. It must be that tropical combination.
Danielle Wolter says
I am a huge fan of lime and coconut. This loaf cake sound absolutely incredible and I am definitely making it this weekend!
Beth Sachs says
Let me know how you get on! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Gina says
I love how simple this recipe is yet packed with flavor!
Linda says
I love making loaf cakes too! They deliver so much flavor with minimal effort. This cake if like a pina colada I can take a bite of. Love the lime zest in the cake and don't get me started on the glaze. Amazing!
Paula Lyness says
Made this loaf cake quite a few times always lovely, been asked to make for friends.Excellent recipe.