Get Smashed on Mother's Day with Caipirinha Coconut Cake

NEW YORK - With the popularity of Brazilian cuisine rapidly growing in the U.S. and around the world, there is a whole world of exotic dishes, incorporating the unique flavors of South America.

Why not add a little kick and incorporate the fresh flavor of cacha�a, which is after all the national spirit of Brazil?

Leticia Moreinos Schwartz, a Brazilian-born chef who trained at The French Culinary Institute before working in the kitchens of many of the top NYC restaurants, has inspired cooks with her contemporary creations that combine traditional Brazilian ingredients with the flavors of a Caipirinha.

The sharp, freshness of lime and cacha�a gives a boost to creamy risotto, and adds a welcome explosion of flavor to moist, fluffy coconut cake. True to Chef Leticia's cultural background, these dishes incorporate a casual feel with an elegant simplicity.

You can find many more recipes in her book "The Brazilian Kitchen: 100 Classic and Contemporary Recipes for the Home Cook." According to Leticia, these recipes are meant to "inspire you to cook dishes that you haven't considered trying before, eventually incorporating this cuisine into your home kitchen just as you would with Italian, French, or Indian."

Here's Leticia's recipe for Caipirinha Coconut Cake:

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Caipirinha Coconut Cake

For the Cake:
3 large egg whites
2 tablespoons Leblon Cacha�a
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2/3 cup cream of coconut
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened grated coconut
Grated zest of 1 lime
1-1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon cake flour
2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
� teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Caipirinha Syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons Leblon Cacha�a

For the Caipi-Coco Whipped Cream:
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon Leblon Cacha�a
grated zest of 1 lime
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut chips


Prepare the Cake:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350?F. Butter a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, coat with butter again and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the egg whites, Leblon Cacha�a, lemon extract, cream of coconut, and whisk just until combined.
3. In a food processor, process the sugar, coconut, and lime zest until everything is fine and well combined.
4. In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. In the bowl of an electrix mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the coconut-lime-sugar mixer until light and creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides occasionally.
6. Add the cream of coconut mixture and continuing beating slowly.
7. Add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and flatten out with an offset spatula8. Bake the cake until nicely golden brown, the sides start to pull from the mold, and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, Prepare the Caipirinha Syrup:
1. Place the sugar and lime juice on a small sauce pan and gently warm it over low heat, whisking constantly until the sugar is almost all dissolved, about 4minutes. Don't let it boil. Transfer to a bowl and add the Leblon Cacha�a.
2. Remove the cake from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack. Polk the cake several times with a thin skewer. Brush the cake with the syrup making sure it is all absorbed. Let it cool inside the pan for at least 30 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate.

Prepare the Whipped Cream:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 300?F. Spread the coconut on a small sheet pan and toast until lightly golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream and sugar until it reaches soft peaks.
3. Turn off the mixer, add the Leblon Cacha�a and lime zest, and whisk it by hand. Mound the cream on top of the cake and sprinkle evenly with the coconut chips. Serve immediately.

Serves 8-10