With a coconut sponge as light as snow, and a deliciously fluffy Swiss meringue buttercream, this Snowball cake will soon become a favourite around the Christmas dinner table.
Don't forget to allow time for cooling.
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For the cake
- 175 g unsalted butter, chopped and at room temperature, plus extra to grease
- 350 g plain flour
- 225 g granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 6 medium egg whites
- 300 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 60 g desiccated coconut
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the frosting and finish
- 125 g granulated sugar
- 3 medium egg whites
- 150 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 60 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 50 g desiccated coconut
- Ferrero Raffaello, optional
- Step 1Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Lightly grease and line 2 x 20.5cm (8in) round cake tins with baking parchment.
- Step 2For the cake, put flour into bowl of a freestanding mixer (or use a large bowl and handheld electric whisk). Add sugar, baking powder and 1/4tsp fine salt and briefly mix on low to combine. Add butter pieces and mix on low speed for 30sec, or until mixture resembles large breadcrumbs.
- Step 3In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites, coconut milk, desiccated coconut and vanilla until combined.
- Step 4Add half coconut milk mixture to the dry ingredients and beat on medium-high for 20sec until combined. Scrape down the sides of bowl with a spatula. Add remaining coconut mixture and beat on medium-high for 1min, until mixture is light and fluffy.
- Step 5Divide evenly between tins and bake for 35min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in tins on a wire rack.
- Step 6To make the frosting, in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, beat egg whites and sugar with a handheld electric whisk until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved, about 5min.
- Step 7Quickly empty into the bowl or a freestanding mixer or continue with the bowl off the heat and a handheld electric mixer. Beat on high for 10min or until meringue is thick and outside of bowl is completely cool. Gradually add butter, one piece at a time, beating well after each addition (the frosting might look curdled but keep beating and it will come together). Once all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high for 4min. Add vanilla and coconut milk and beat again for a few min until thick and smooth.
- Step 8Slice cakes in half horizontally and sandwich back together with lemon curd. Spread frosting smoothly over top and sides of cake, then press desiccated coconut on to sides of cake. Decorate with Rafaello, if using, and serve in slices.
Get ahead
Make cakes and frosting up to a day ahead. Once cool, wrap cakes in tin with clingfilm and store at room temperature. Cover and chill frosting. To serve, allow frosting to come up to room temperature and beat until smooth. Complete recipe.
To store
Store iced cake, loosely covered in fridge for up 3 days. Allow to come up to room temperature before serving.
Per serving
- Calories: 435
- Protein: 5g
- Total fat: 26g
- Saturates: 18g
- Carbs: 45g
- Total sugars: 28g
- Fibre: 2g
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
