5.13.2009

Coconut Layer Cake

Coconut Layer Cake

Did You Know? Falling coconuts kill 150 people every year - 10 times the number of people killed by sharks.

Not having a job leaves me with little money of my own to buy gifts for just about anyone, so when the occasion arises, I turn to baking. There's nothing like creating something special to present to your friends and family, especially when that someone is your mom. My mom is the best, and always by my side in the kitchen, cleaning every last pan that I make a mess of. She's great at rinsing and chopping, and always makes sure our kitchen is stocked. No request is ever too large. She's the ultimate soux chef.

My sister and I always joke around that we could never live with any other mother besides our own. No one would put up with us like she does, and no one would do as much as our mom does. She makes it really hard to ever want to get a place of my own. Why move out, when every last detail of my life is taken care of here? I guess to be a little more self-sufficient, but I've got time for crazy stuff like that. So in honor of my mom, and all the awesome things she does for my family, I made her a cake (even trade right?); A coconut layer cake, her favorite.



Coconut Layer Cake

Coconut Layer Cake

Coconut Layer Cake

Mother's Day was held at my house this year, and my aunt, uncle, and grandparents came over for a late lunch to celebrate the occasion. My mom made the meal, and I finished it off with this cake. I'm not a huge fan of shredded coconut, and cream cheese is definitely not my thing, so I opted out of tasting this one. But from the reactions of all of our guests, along with the multiple servings, I'd say it was a huge success. My mom loved it too, so that's all that really mattered. I hope you all enjoyed your Mother's Day, and I promise to post a little more often now that I'm done with school!

Coconut Layer Cake

Coconut Layer Cake

Coconut Layer Cake

Coconut Layer Cake
Adapted from Bon Appetit via Epicurious
I sliced each cake into 2, for a total of 4 layers. The recipe below is for a basic 2 layer cake.


2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco Lépez)*
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup buttermilk
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)*

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides (I lined mine with parchment paper as well). Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla and coconut extracts. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold beaten egg whites into batter.

Divide cake batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

Place 1 cake layer on cake plate. Spread 1 cup Cream Cheese Frosting over cake layer. Sprinkle 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut over. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle remaining coconut over cake, gently pressing into sides to adhere.

Coconut Layer Cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from Ina Garten

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, and the coconut and vanilla extracts on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip).

Coconut Layer Cake

Coconut Layer Cake

30 comments:

  1. Wow! This cake really looks amazing!

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  2. Almost too much to handle. Coconut cakes just look like layers of sweet fluff. Must be the pretty white color and sprinkles of coconut. Great cake!

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  3. I know it's horrible but that coconut fact made me laugh to hard.

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  4. Well the cake looks heavenly. The picture made me want to go through the screen and eat it.

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  5. Homemade gifts are the best. What a great looking cake. You bring so much joy in the life of your mom.

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  6. Oh my...that looks unbelievably good! It's practically art. Almost too pretty to eat (almost).
    Falling coconuts would be an embarrassing way to die.

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  7. The cake looks gorgeous! I particularly like the shot of the batter.

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  8. Oh my. Will you come make this for me? Pretty please? with mounds of fluffy coconut on top? Looks supremely delicious!

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  9. That looks beautiful. I think baking someone something is one of the best gifts you can give. And it's no cheap out either, butter is expensive! :)

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  10. hmmm yeah i do the same thing; why buy gifts--i would much rather give someone a pretty little box full of macarons anyways. or a cake with ingredients that represent the recipient's initials :P

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  11. you are so sweet to bake that beautiful cake for your mom!

    i think baking/cooking for people is a great gift!

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  12. THe cake looks amazing regardless!!!

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  13. I'd say your mom is very lucky! Looks fantastic. And I think I've just found my HH's birthday cake! :)

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  14. The photos of this freakin' delicious cake are driving me crazy...this is damn good!

    You need a live-in cabana boy? lol

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  15. Here's the deal: I'll adopt you, I'll give you food and shelter and you can bake this for me on my birthday! (I don't mean that in the creepy way!) Coconut layer cake is also MY favourite cake! But I never make it because no one else around me likes it :( What do they know?! This looks fantastic!!!
    I hope your mom had a lovely birthday!
    Oh, and I agree with you about the making gifts. Be it a baked good or a craft, or something you sewed or knit, making it yourself is far better than buying it. It just carries more meaning :)

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  16. i had no idea coconuts were so deadly! i suppose i'll have to eat more than usual to punish them for their wrongdoings. :)
    this cake is phenomenal, extraordinary, and absolutely drool-inducing. :)

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  17. i love everything you write about, but this coconut cake really takes the, ummm, cake. that photo makes me want to dive into my computer screen and bite.

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  18. Who knew except maybe you that coconuts could be so dangerous! :)

    Glad to hear that your Mom had a wonderful day!

    Can I have your slice? I don't have any problems with shredded coconut or cream cheese! Your cake looks fantastic!
    ~ingrid

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  19. I have been on such a huge coconut kick.
    You Mom was lucky to have this. I have yet to attempt a full blown coconut cake; I always do something else with it.

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  20. Oh yum, these photos look so luscious, I'm tempted to lick my screen! Coconut cake is such a treat.

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  21. I would much rather get a homemade gift than a purchased gift anyday!

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  22. Yeah, um, my birthday was in January....want to make me one of these too? :)

    And lol at the coconut fact - it sounds like falling coconuts are more dangerous than SWINE FLU!!

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  23. That's a great gift! Looks so pretty with the coconuts.

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  24. How gorgeous is that! I want a piece, a BIG one! And it's not even chocolate.

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  25. Your cake looks SO beautiful...like you could just dive right in and take a tropical vacation!

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  26. Coconut cake is my favorite, hands down. This looks super rich and delicious....especially with the cream cheese frosting! Yum.

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  27. Wow, what a great looking cake! I have been craving coconut cake for a while now!

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  28. That coconut cake looks so good!

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  29. New to your space and love what I am seeing here. This coconut layer cake looks like heaven. I can see myself bake it sometime soon!

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