Coconut Key Lime Angel Food Cake Roll
Coconut Key Lime Angel Food Cake Roll is light and fluffy angel food cake filled with tangy, key lime curd and topped with whipped coconut cream. It’s one heavenly dessert!
I made this cake for someone I’ve never even met. As strange as that sounds, it’s true. I may not have physically met Zainab over at Blahnik Baker, but when I connected with her 2+ years ago, I knew she was a very special person.
She’s not only a very talented, self-taught baker, baking masterpieces like pink velvet cupcakes, coconut lemon layer cake, and her raspberry lemon meringue tart, but she’s also a neuroscience PhD student, a wife, and now soon-to-be-mom! She’s a true inspiration, and I’m so happy we’ve crossed paths.
So you see, I made this special cake for Zainab’s virtual baby shower, and the only way it could have been more special was if I could have eaten it with her, too.
One day, one day….:)
I’m thrilled for Zainab and Mr. J, and I was so excited to hear they’re having a boy, being that I have 2 of my own. It’s challenging, rewarding, and everything in between, and I know they’re going to be phenomenal parents! 🙂
If this little boy is anything like his mom, he will be a huge fan of coconut. I think Zainab and I bonded over coconut, in fact. 🙂
She loves her tropical flavors, and key lime is one of them. It happens to be one of mine as well, and I knew I had to make a coconut-key lime dessert for this very special occasion.
I’ve got plenty of key lime desserts here on the blog, but this one takes the cake (pun intended). 😉 Light, fluffy angel food cake with tangy key lime curd, and plenty of coconut flair just sent me straight to heaven. Coconut-key lime heaven. 🙂
I was originally planning to do angel food cupcakes filled with curd and topped with cream, then the cake roll idea came to me. If you hang out around here much, you know I love my cake rolls. They’re so fun and easy to make, and I knew that would be extra special for this occasion.
Since I’ve never made an angel food cake version, I found a recipe over at Taste of Home that I used. It was full proof, and yielded the fluffiest angel food cake ever.
The key lime curd was adapted from my lime curd recipe, and makes enough for this cake plus some extra for whatever else you may want to use it with.
The amount that you need for the cake may not look like a lot, but trust me, it will ooze out the sides when you roll it up if you use too much.
OK, I may have done that, but lucky for me it was easy to fix. 🙂
As for the coconut cream, that couldn’t be easier. Just be sure you chill your coconut cream overnight and that your mixing bowl is chilled too. This will help it whip up nice and fast, with beautiful soft peaks.
If you don’t have coconut cream on hand, whip up some heavy whipping cream with the sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
Spread this beauty with the cream and garnish the cake with sweetened angel flake coconut, and it truly looks like it was heaven sent. And it tastes like it too!
Coconut Key Lime Angel Food Cake Roll
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 9 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cake flour sifted
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
For the coconut cream:
- 13.5 ounces coconut cream chilled overnight
- 3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup sweetened angel flake coconut for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the curd first (best made a day in advance).
Prepare the cake:
- Position the oven rack to the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spray a jelly roll pan measuring about 17½" x 12½" x 1"h lightly with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper large enough to provide a small overhang over the sides of the pan. Cut a line from each corner of the parchment down into the corner of the pan so the parchment fits snugly. Spray the parchment generously with cooking spray and set aside.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk in the vanilla and cream of tartar. Attach the whisk attachment to the mixer and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer running on medium speed, sprinkle in the granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at time until all the sugar has been added. Continue mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form. The egg whites are done when you dip the whisk attachment into the egg whites, turn it right side up, and the whites stand straight up on the tip.
- Gently fold in the flour 1/4 cup at a time, careful not to deflate the egg whites.
- Gently spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until light golden brown on top, and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and the cake springs back when pressed gently with your finger. Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack.
- Lay a kitchen towel large enough for the cake on the counter. Dust the towel with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar so that the towel is completely covered. Pick up the cake pan with pot holders, holding it upright from the top with the cake facing away from you, making sure the pot holders are around the top of the cake slightly to keep it in place. Hold the cake at an angle over the sugar dusted kitchen towel, remove your hands and turn the cake out quickly onto the kitchen towel. Gently remove the parchment paper, roll the cake from the short side in the towel, and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the coconut cream:
- Place the bowl of your stand mixer in the refrigerator and chill it about 1 hour before you whip the cream. Place the coconut cream, sugar, and vanilla in the chilled bowl and using the whisk attachment, whip on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Assemble the cake:
- When the cake has cooled completely, unroll it and trim off the outer edges of the cake with a serrated knife. Spread the curd evenly over the cake about 1/8" or so thick, leaving 1/2" border on all sides. Don’t spread more than that or it will ooze out the sides! Gently roll the cake tucking it in so that it’s not too loose. Place the cake on a serving platter seam side down.
- Spread the cake evenly with the coconut cream and garnish with the angel flake coconut. Chill for 1-2 hours, then slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Prep time does not include chilling the curd or the cake.
- Curd is best when made ahead and chilled several hours or overnight.
- Coconut cream may be substituted with 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with the same amount of sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Key limes may be substituted with bottle key lime juice if fresh isn’t available. Fresh lemons or regular limes would be great, too!
- Angel food cake recipe adapted from Taste of Home’s Moist Lemon Angel Cake Roll. Curd and coconut cream recipes by Flavor the Moments.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
69 Comments on “Coconut Key Lime Angel Food Cake Roll”
This cake roll looks absolutely gorgeous, Marcie! I love the key lime and coconut flavors in here. This just screams summer and deliciousness to me!
Thank you so much, Gayle! I love key lime, and combining it with coconut only made it better. It was so light and perfect for summer! 🙂
How sweet to do a virtual baby shower! This cake roll looks like the perfect way to celebrate, I love key lime and coconut together.
When you can’t physically go to a baby shower, virtual is the way to go! Key lime and coconut are the best together! 🙂
This cake roll is gorgeous! I’ve actually never seen one made with angel food cake before and I just love the idea.
Thank you so much, Lauren! I got the idea and had to Google it and thankfully I found the perfect cake recipe! 🙂
Wow! What a gorgeous, refreshing and delicious looking cake Marcie. My mouth is simply watering! xoxo
You’re so sweet — thank you, Kristi! This was kind of my dream cake, and I couldn’t think of a better reason to make it! Hope you have a wonderful 4th of July, friend! 🙂
This looks so delicious! Light and fluffy and perfect for summer!
Thank you, Nancy! It’s the perfect summer cake! 🙂
Ahhhhh! You know how i feel about coconut and key lime. This cake is just perfection and I wish I could share it with you in person. One day!!! Thank you so much for all the love today. xoxo
I do know how you feel about it, and I couldn’t think of a person that this cake is more perfect for! I’m SO happy for you and I can’t wait to hear about the birth of your beautiful baby boy. And we’re definitely meeting one day and eating something coconut! 🙂
That key lime curd is beautiful. Such great flavor combos.
Thank you, Jamie! 🙂
I adore this! I love the way you “roll”!
Good one! haha Thanks so much for helping organize this shower, Jocelyn — I was so happy to be a part of it! 🙂
This cake roll is stunning, Marcie! I absolutely love all that coconut you packed in here and the key lime curd sounds mouthwatering! This is just perfect for Z!
You’re so sweet — thank you, Kelly! Wish we could’ve physically celebrated at a shower for Zainab together! 🙂
This roll is magazine cover worthy! Simply stunning Marcie!
Thank you so much for the lovely comment, Meriem! 🙂
What a gorgeous cake roll! That coconut frosting on top is so beautiful. And you know how much I love key lime myself! Perfect for Zainab’s shower!! 🙂
Thank you, Renee! We were definitely on the same wavelength for the shower, weren’t we? Coconut and key lime is the best! 🙂
I always love the virtual baby showers – so much fun! And this cake roll is just so darn pretty! I still have yet to tackle one but every time you post one I think about it!!! 🙂
Virtual showers are fun — it’s the next best thing when you can’t celebrate in person! Thank you, Ashley, and this angel food cake would be the perfect place to start cake-rolling. It was so darn easy! 🙂
Eeekk – this is so pretty Marcie. I love that lemon curd swirl! This is the perfect cake for Zainab!
Thanks so much, Liz! Wish we all could have celebrated in person! 🙂
Happy baby shower to Zainab! This cake sounds just delicious!
Thank you, Natalie! 🙂
Marcie! My jaw is on the floor right now- this cake roll is truly a masterpiece! I would never have thought it could be done but it is absolutely stunning! Just like a cloud and JUST the kind of thing our friend Zainab would adore. Thank you so much for being a part of our virtual baby shower! xo
This is a HUGE compliment coming from you Allie — you’re my baking idol. 🙂 Thank you so much for helping host this wonderful shower and I was thrilled to be a part of it. The only thing better would’ve been celebrating in person! xoxo
So yum! I love the fluffy coconut cake and I love the pop of green in the middle 🙂
Thank you, Medha! This was one of the fluffiest angel food cakes ever. 🙂
What a lovely cake! I like the idea of making a roll out of angel food cake, it sounds so light and delicious 🙂
Thank you, June! This was one of the lightest cakes ever! 🙂
I have always been too intimidated to try a cake roll, but you make it look so elegant and easy that I am totally going to give it a shot!
Thank you so much, Nora! This angel food cake recipe is the perfect way to start — I hope you get to try it! 🙂
Love cake rolls and this one is gorgeous! And of course perfect for a baby shower! Love it, pinning!
Thank you so much, Mira! 🙂
Marcie, I LOVE this!!!! I still have never made a cake roll!!!! what is wrong with me?!!! this one looks fabulous and perfect for today!!! thank you for joining the celebration!!!! means so much to us and Zainab!
Thank you so much, Alice!! I was beyond thrilled to be a part of this, and thank you for organizing this wonderful shower — I love all of you ladies! Wish we could’ve celebrated in person! 🙂
This cake was really forgiving! There was a small crack in mine for whatever reason, and it still held together beautifully. Nothing a little coconut cream couldn’t hide either. 🙂
Thank you so much, Julia! This cake was so easy to whip up and roll — it’s the perfect place to start! I was always intimidated too, but once I made my first one, I was hooked. 🙂
Dear Marcie, what beautiful dessert. I love cake rolls..this looks light, airy and decadent. What a fabulous summer treat. xo, Catherine
Thank you so much, Catherine! 🙂
Thank you, Christina! This was my dream cake. 🙂
Thank you, Erin! I wasn’t sure it could be done with angel food cake but thankfully found the perfect recipe! 🙂
Thank you, Sherri! This cake was so light and refreshing, and the combo is one of my favorites! 🙂
Thank you, Kayle! Anything for Z! 🙂
What a glamorous cake! The texture looks so fluffy too!
Thank you, Laura! I love how light and fluffy angel food cake is — it’s the best!
oh my god, my mouth is watering! ;/ what a gorgeous , gorgeous cake!! Love the flavors!
Thank you, Manali! I had a lot of fun with this one! 🙂
Marcie this is such a gorgeous cake roll! So impressive, and the flavors sound amazing. What a great cake to bring to Zainab’s shower!
Thank you, Cate! Too bad it wasn’t in person! 🙂
This is such a thoughtful, beautiful, and amazing sounding dessert, Marcie! I absolutely love it!
Thanks so much, Cathy! 🙂
Thank you, Dani, and I appreciate the pin! 🙂
This is such a beautiful cake! I love the flavors!
Thank you, Jamie! 🙂
This looks like a summery and delicious dessert. I love cake rolls, and coconut and lime are so good together, but they always make me think of that song, “You put the lime in the coconut…”
I didn’t think of that song, but now that you mention it, I can’t get it out of my head! 🙂
This cake roll reminds me of my favorite childhood cakes! They look so good, Marcie!
Oh goodie! What a stunning looking cake roll! Absolutely droolicious!
Thank you, Anu! I’ve never heard the word droolicious before — I love it! 🙂
Beautiful cake! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. After comparing it to the photos of the recipe it was adapted from, I’m in awe that you prepared an all white “crustless” version. Did you trim off the top and/or bottom caramelization before rolling it up. Searching for a truly white version and yours is the closest I’ve seen. Thanks so much!
Thank you Deborah! I did not trim the cake at all before rolling. The angel food cake was nice and light, and rolled very well!
I about to try this on this weekend. The kids requested lemon and coconut. Ive never attempted that combo before. do you thing swapping out lemon for lime would work with the coconut?
Lemon and lime both work great with coconut — you’re good either way!