Now this step is VERY important to the cake end result. First, make sure you are using a fresh can of room temperature, NOT COLD, full-fat coconut milk. With full-fat coconut milk, the coconut cream will separate from the water in the can. You need to scrape out all of the water and cream from the can into a blender or another bowl and either blend it until smooth or whisk very well until completely smooth and mixed (see post pics). If you do not do this first, you run the high risk of either getting too much cream or too much water and not the right mixed combo of each, will be really affect the cake's texture. Please do not skip doing this! Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and lightly grease an 8x8 square stone baking dish. Wipe off any excess runny oil. Stone is best for a soft cake around the edges, but if you don't have one, use glass or metal, just keep an eye, as the edges will cook a bit more in these types of pans.
To a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and whisk well until mixed. Set aside.
After you have premixed the coconut milk (from step 1), add the ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (210 grams) to a separate bowl (weighing for best results), then add the lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Whisk to mix and pour over the dry ingredients.
Mix the batter with a large spoon and fold in the flour, gently, from the edges of the bowl into the batter. Don't overmix. Mix until just moistened and no flour is visible. The batter will be THICK. It will seem too dry at first, but as you mix and it gets moistened, it will loosen up a bit into more of a softer batter, however, the batter will be thick. DO NOT be tempted to add more liquid or you will not get the correct, light and fluffy texture you see in the pics (or the video I shared of me making it on social media). If you weighed/measured everything correctly, your cake batter will be thick and that is correct.
Scrape all of the cake batter into the greased dish and spread out evenly and flat with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out completely clean. The edges should be golden and slightly pulled away from the edges. Set to cool for 45 minutes or more before adding the glaze. The cake should be cool before glazing.
This cake is SO good on its own, but the glaze does add another layer of moisture and the lemon flavor is MUCH more pronounced with the glaze! BUT to save on the sugar, you can do just half the glaze and drizzle it over the top instead, if desired. Add the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk for a few minutes until it is completely smooth and no lumps remain.
Pour all of the glaze over the center of the cooled cake. Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula and spread it out evenly all over the cake. Zest some more lemon over the top for presentation and extra zing of flavor. Let the glaze firm up a bit (15 minutes or so) and then slice and serve.
