The Coconut Cake

During a winter storm weekend, I only want to be stuck inside with THIS coconut cake. FOUR pillowy layers of white cake, STUFFED with fluffy coconut filling, and BLANKETED with cream cheese frosting, with another layer of shredded coconut piled on the outside. Sounds cozy right? Sometimes coconut is giving tropical vibes, but right now, it’s <unfortunately> giving snow/ sleet/ freezing rain. A whiteout type of cake, in this case. But, we aren’t going to be mad at it. Because, we have cake.

This white cake is a super star on its own. With a full meringue folded in to it. While this cake may not be the most economical choice currently, with the soaring grocery prices, it is well worth the effort and expense, IMO. Many, many eggs and sticks of butter are needed. It's a good project though, and can be divided up into smaller projects. The coconut filling is also a snack. Finely shredded and lightly sweetened coconut, blended into a creamy mixture, and then spread between the fluffy, white cake layers. The cake is then finished with a perfectly not-too-sweet, cream cheese frosting. What’s not to like? I think it’s a common belief that most people would eat cream cheese frosting on just about anything, too… right?

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Ingredients:

White cake layers (adapted from Christine Moore’s recipe):

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

8 large eggs, at room temperature, separated into yolks and whites

3 tsp coconut extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

4 3/4 cups + 1 TBS (580g) cake flour

1 TBS baking powder

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 cups full fat canned coconut milk, at room temperature and well shaken

Coconut filling (make ahead to chill overnight)

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 TBS coconut Jello brand instant pudding mix and pie filing (sub cornstarch)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp coconut extract

1 tsp water

Pinch salt

3 3/4 cups sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut, divided

Cream cheese frosting with coconut garnish:

1 cup, (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tsp coconut extract

1 tsp vanilla paste

1 TBS heavy cream

5 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 tsp kosher salt

Makes one 9 inch, 4 layer cake.

At least the day before you want to assemble the cake, or up to two weeks before, prepare the coconut filling. This should be made ahead and refrigerated.

First, add 2 1/4 cups of the shredded coconut to a food processor and pulse it until it is very fine. You still want texture to the shreds but not long strands. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, butter and sugar. Place it on the stove over medium heat and bring to a boil. Use a wooden spoon to stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. In a small bowl, mix together the jello powder and the coconut and vanilla extracts, to make a slurry. Pour this mixture into the cream mixture, and continue to stir as the mixture simmers and thickens. Once it has thickened up, after about one minute, remove from the heat.

Take the finely processed coconut shreds and stir them into the cream mixture. Transfer the whole mixture to a glass storage container and allow to cool to room temperature. Then, refrigerate, at least overnight, until ready to assemble the cake. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before spreading on the cake layers. You may want to stir the mixture around a few times to loosen up.

Grease 4, 9 inch round cake pans, (I love these), line with parchment circles (I always use this parchment). Preheat the oven to 350F and place a rack in the center of the oven.

Prepare the cake batter. Using a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl, and cream together on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and turn back on to medium speed until the mixture looks white and fluffy. Turn the mixer down to low speed and slowly add the egg yolks, 2 at a time, and allow them to be fully incorporated, before adding the next two. Scrape around the bottom of the bowl and down the sides, as needed. Add the vanilla and mix again. Scrape the bowl.

Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt in to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed just to combine. Next add about half of the coconut milk. Scrape the bowl and mix on low. Then add another 1/3 of the flour mixture, just mixing until combined. Add the rest of the milk and then the rest of the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl as needed to make sure everything is fully mixed.

In a clean and dry mixing bowl, add the egg whites, and whisk them with the electric mixer on medium speed until they look foamy. After they are foamy, slowly pour in 1 3/4 cups of sugar. Then, turn up the mixer speed to high, and whisk the egg whites until they form medium stiff peaks. You can occasionally check the progress by removing the whisk attachment, and turning it upside down, to see if the meringue holds it shape in a peak. If it is still soft, or not holding shape, continue to whisk. Once the meringue is ready, take about a half cup of it, and gently fold it into the batter using a rubber spatula. This will help to loosen up the batter, but we don’t want to over mix or deflate the meringue. Switch to a handheld whisk and continue to fold in the rest of the meringue into the batter.

Divide the batter equally between the 4 cake pans. Smooth out the tops. I usually weigh each pan to ensure even distribution. This helps to create 4 balanced layers of cake! Bake in the oven for 28-35 minutes. Begin checking at 28 minutes and look for the cake layers to be golden brown, with a firm, springy center. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Cool completely in the pans and then invert onto a rack. Wait until they are at least room temperature before assembling the cake!

While the cake is cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a clean mixing bowl, for the stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and lighter in color, about 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese, and beat for one minute on medium, and then stop and scrape the bowl. Mix again until smooth and blended. Begin adding the powdered sugar, two cups at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. As the frosting gets thicker, add the extracts, salt and heavy cream, and continue to mix. Taste and adjust as needed to achieve desired consistency.

Stack, fill and frost the cake!

Place the bottom cake layer on a cake circle or plate, on a turntable, and spread a heaping cup of coconut filling all over, in an even layer, making sure to get to the edges. Repeat with the remaining cake layers. Apply a crumb coat of frosting to the cake and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to set. Then, finish frosting the cake, and take the remaining 1 1/2 cups of shredded coconut, and apply to cake however you like! If you like toasted coconut, you have the option to toast it on a baking sheet, in the oven, before applying to the cake.

Then SERVE!

Make it and let me know what you think!