The Best Coconut Cake
Adapted From The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook, Coconut Layer Cake
Serves 10-12
Note: The recipe calls for two 9-inch round cake pans but I made this for my dad's birthday and I needed to to sample (every good baker does; only to make sure it tasted good, of course) so instead I used two 7-inch round pans and a cupcake pan for 6. I gave him the 7-inch round cake and kept the 6 cupcakes for sampling purposes! Baked the 7-inch rounds for about 38 minutes and the cupcakes for about 18 minutes at 325 degrees.
Cake:
2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) cake flour
3/4 cup cream of coconut (available at liqour stores)
5 large egg whites plus 1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (7 ounces)granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
Frosting:
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch table salt
16 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup cream of coconut
3 cups (12 ounces)confectioner's (powdered) sugar
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Make the cake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and line with parchment paper two 9-inch round cake pans.
Whisk together cream of coconut, egg whites, whole egg, water and extracts. Set aside.
In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment slowly mix together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Increase the speed to medium and add the butter one piece at a time. Adding a new piece about every 3 seconds. Keep mixing for a minute or two, until the mixture resembles a moist crumb.
Add 1/2 cup of the wet (egg/coconut cream) mixture to the dry (flour/ butter) mixture and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add the rest of the wet mixture to the dry mixture and beat just until combined and forms a nice batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes.
Cool pans on wire rack for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen cake. Invert on wire rack, peel of parchment paper and flip right side up. (At this point I usually stick the cakes in the freezer to cool them down because I am extremely impatient. However, you can let them cool for about an hour on your counter top if you have patience. Obviously, you don't want to frost the cake when it is warm because the frosting will melt.
Make the Frosting:
Stir together the cream, extracts and salt in a small bowl.
In a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and cream of coconut on medium-high for about 30 seconds. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the confectioner's sugar and continue beating until smooth. Add the cream/extracts/salt and beat medium-high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Toast the Coconut:
Set oven to 325 degrees and sprinkle the coconut flakes onto a baking sheet, in a single layer. Toast, stirring and checking frequently for about 6-10 minutes. It can burn really easy so keep an eye on it.
Decorate the Cake:
Set one cake on a cake plate. You can line the edges of a plate with waxed paper strips to keep from getting frosting on the cake plate but I found this unnecessary, just be careful.
Spread about 1 cup of frosting on the first layer, right up to the edges of the cake. Set the other cake layer on top and frost with the remaining frosting all over the top and sides.
Sprinkle toasted coconut on the top and press it on the sides of the cake.
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