•  150g butter
•  1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
•  1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
•  3 eggs
•  1½ cups (120g) dessicated coconut
•  1½ cups (225g) self-raising (self-rising) flour
•  ¾ cup (185ml) milk

lemon syrup

•  1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
•  ¾ cup (185ml) water
•  2 tablespoons lemon juice

  Preheat oven to 180°C (355ºF). Beat the butter, sugar and lemon rind in an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the eggs and beat well. Mix through the coconut, flour and milk with a wooden spoon until smooth. Pour into a 20cm-square cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper and bake for 40 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool cake in tin.

  To make the lemon syrup, combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until dissolved. Simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened slightly. Pour over warm or cool cake. Serves 8–10.