Ingredients:

• 125 grams soft (room temperature) butter
• 3/4 cup of castor sugar
• 3 large room temperature eggs, separated
• 2 cups of plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 3/4 cup of raspberry
• Coconut topping
  • 3 egg whites (from separated eggs)
  • 1/4 cup of castor sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups of unsweetened, desiccated coconut
  • 1 tsp of vanilla essence

Preparation:

1. Pre-heat oven to 300F (150C).
2. Lightly grease an 11 inch x 7 inch rectangular cake tin. Line tin with baking paper and allow the paper to over hang edges a little.
3. In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add three egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift flour and baking powder together. Fold through the creamed mixture. The dough will seem quite crumbly, this is normal. Press dough into lined cake tin.
5. Cook base for 15 minutes.
6. Prepare the coconut meringue topping. In a clean bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
7. Gradually add 1/4 cup of castor sugar, a 1 tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat the whites until they form stiff, glossy peaks. Use a spatula to gently fold in the desiccated coconut and vanilla essence.
8. Take the half cooked base from the oven, and using a spatula, spread a thin layer of jam over the warm dough.
9. Next, spoon and spread the coconut meringue over the jam. Make sure all the jam is covered with meringue.
10. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the meringue top is a soft pink eggshell color. It is normal for the meringue to crack, so don't panic.
11. Remove from oven and cool in tin for 2-3 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the tin by holding onto the baking paper and gently lifting. Cool on a wire rack.
12. Once cooled, cut cake into squares and keep in an airtight container for up to one week (you'll be lucky if it lasts the day!)

I snaffled this recipe from Australia Food (I've changed it a bit - don't worry I tested it - it's changed for the better) because the latest Edmonds Cookbook doesn't have the Louise Cake recipe in it! crazy publishers.