• Preheat oven at 170°C / 338°F.
• In a mixing bowl combine together all-purpose flour and baking powder. Set aside.
• Add the eggs to the bowl of your electric mixer and with the whisk attachment on, start beating over medium-high speed. Add the sugar into the eggs slowly in bits at a time. Beat until eggs become really airy, foamy, and thickened.
• Turn off your mixer. Incorporate the flour and baking powder mixture into the eggs in batches, using a sifter. And at the same time stir the eggs with a pastry spatula.
• Once all the flour is incorporated into the eggs, slowly mix in the semolina and then the desiccated coconut, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
• Grease a 9-inch / 24cm round pan with butter or cooking spray.
• Add the cake batter to the pan and spread it evenly with a spoon.
• Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Until cake gets a nice golden color. Deep a knife in the center of the cake to see if it comes out clean to make sure the cake is ready. While the cake is getting baked, proceed on making the syrup.

To Make The Syrup:

• Add all of the ingredients for the syrup to a cooking pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then drop the heat to medium-low and simmer (uncovered) for approximately 6-7 minutes until it gets to a syrupy consistency. Then remove from heat and set aside.

  NOTE: You don't need to stir the syrup just shake the pot if needed. Stirring a syrup might lead to the sugar crystallizing. And if this happens, simply add just a splash of water and bring it to a boil again.
• Pour the syrup over the hot cake right as the cake comes out of the oven. Drizzle the desiccated coconut that's for coating on top. Let the cake reach room temperature before cutting and serving. You can cut into small triangles this way it yields about 10-12 small pieces or cut normally into 8-10 larger pieces. You can also serve this cake cold, by refrigerating the cake for 3 hours after it has reached room temperature. This cake served cold is even more tasty and light.
• Store leftover cake in a food container or cake tin for 3-4 days at room temperature or up to a week in your fridge. The syrup preserves the cake from spoiling.