Toasted Coconut Cake
Ugh. I know that’s a terrible way to start this blog post, but that is the sound of my feelings right now. It has come to my attention that I’ve left out an ingredient here or there on some of my recipes. Unfortunately, my lovely neighbor, who has been baking from my blog, has been the victim of these mistakes. Twice now. Ugh. I don’t want to hand out excuses, but I am suffering from “mom brain” (it’s a real condition). For instance, just the other day I was driving to the local grocery store and I couldn’t for the life of me remember how to get there. Also, I am finding that my 5 year old has been finishing my sentences. Words just aren’t coming to me quickly anymore. Yes, I know this could be a brain tumor, but I’m too exhausted to worry about that. I am now double proofing all of my past posts and intend to triple proof every post from here on. Thank goodness I have this toasted coconut cake to see me through. The cake is beautifully white, not too sweet, and full of coconut flavor. I iced it with a very sweet, coconut buttercream. Anyway… what was I saying? Ugh.
This coconut cake is a high-ratio cake, which means that it contains a high-ratio of sugar and liquid to flour. It is also mixed using the two-stage mixing method- the dry ingredients and fat are mixed together, and then the wet ingredients are added in two parts.
The one problem I did encounter when making this cake was choosing the right cream of coconut. I bought the kind in which you must mix with water (Let’s Do…Organic). I don’t think my cake had the height it needed because it was a very wet batter- wetter than it should have been. Next time, I will use Goya’s cream of coconut, or any other that doesn’t require mixing with water.
- 1 Large Egg plus 5 Large Egg Whites
- 3/4 cup Cream of Coconut
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp. Coconut Extract
- 2 1/4 cups (255 g) Cake Flour
- 1 cup (199 g) Sugar
- 1 TBS Baking Powder
- 3/4 tsp. Salt
- 12 TBS (168 g) Unsalted Butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
- 3 cups (227 g) Sweetened shredded Coconut
- 1 cup (2 sticks, or 225 g) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 8 cups (1000 g) Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp. Coconut Extract
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans.
- Whisk egg and whites together in 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Add cream of coconut, water, vanilla, and coconut extract and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-sized pieces remain, about 1 minute. Add half of the egg mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining egg mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Give batter final stir by hand.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Do not turn off oven. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.
- While cakes are cooling, spread shredded coconut on rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until shreds are mix of golden brown and white, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring 2 to 3 times. Let cool completely.
- Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups (500 g) of the sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the milk and the vanilla, coconut extracts and mix until combined. Gradually mix in the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until buttercream is thick and of good spreading consistency. Use and store icing at room temperature, as icing will set if chilled.
- Place one of the cake layers on a cake plate. Spread about 3/4 cup of buttercream on top, leaving about a 1/2 inch border from the edge. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the toasted coconut on top of the buttercream. Place the other cake layer on top of filling. With some buttercream, frost a thin layer all over the cake (sides and top), then refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes, or until frosting has set. When ready, frost entire cake with remaining buttercream. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top and sides in whichever decorative way you want.
- Cooled cakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and frozen for up to 1 month; let defrost at room temperature before unwrapping.
- Coconut buttercream can be stored in airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Electric Mixer
- 2 9-inch round cake pans
- Off-set spatula
- parchment paper
- Baking sheet
