Lemon Coconut Cake

Stick a toothpick right into the center of the loaf - if it comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs, you're good to go. This usually happens somewhere between 35 and 40 minutes, but every oven is a little different, so check a few minutes early just in case. If the top browns too fast, you can loosely cover it with foil for the last stretch.

Sure thing - a neutral oil like this recipe uses is mostly there for moisture, so you have some room to experiment with other mild-tasting oils. Just stick to a liquid oil rather than melted butter, since the batter texture depends on it staying pourable. Keep the amount the same so your batter doesn't turn out too dry or too wet.

Once the glaze has fully set, keep the cake in an airtight container or under a cake dome at room temperature - the coconut and lemon keep it moist for a good few days. Just make sure it's completely cooled before you cover it, or condensation will make the glaze go sticky. If your kitchen runs warm, popping it in the fridge is fine too, just let it come back to room temp before serving.

Absolutely, this is actually a great make-ahead cake since the flavors settle in nicely overnight. Bake and glaze it the day before, let it cool and set completely, then store it covered until you're ready to serve. You'll find the lemon and coconut taste even better the next day.

Rushing the glaze is a classic one - if you add all the lemon juice at once, you'll end up with a runny glaze that just slides off instead of setting nicely on top. Add the juice a little at a time until you hit that thick, milky consistency the recipe describes. Also, don't skip letting the cake cool before glazing, or the glaze will melt straight into the crumb.