Best Coconut Southern Comfort Layer Cake Recipe Epicuriouscom Recipes

CLASSIC COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray; line bottom of pans with parchment paper rounds.
• Mix flour and coconut in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk and baking soda in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks and beat to blend. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another large bowl until peaks form. Add 1/3 of egg white mixture to batter; fold into batter just to blend. Fold in remaining egg white mixture in 2 additions. Divide batter between pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around sides of cake pans. Invert cakes onto racks. Carefully peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.
• For frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Place second layer, flat side up, atop frosting. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle some of coconut over top of cake; pat more coconut on sides of cake. DO AHEAD: can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

THE BEST COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and cream of coconut in a small bowl. Beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, until combined.
• Beat the egg whites and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with clean beaters on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter in three batches until just combined (do not overmix). Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cakes are lightly browned and the centers spring back when lightly pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 20 minutes in the pans, then run a small knife around the edges of each cake and carefully invert onto the racks; remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in about half of the confectioners' sugar until combined. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar, salt and vanilla and coconut extracts and beat until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Place one cake layer on a cake stand or platter and top with a heaping 2/3 cup frosting. Add another cake layer, more frosting and the last cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the coconut all over the top and sides of the cake, gently pressing to adhere.

FRESH COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare coconut:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Pierce softest eye of each coconut with a small screwdriver and collect liquid in 2 separate bowls to sample. If either tastes rancid, discard that coconut and liquid and Start over with another. Strain liquid from 2 coconuts through a dampened-paper-towel-lined sieve into a 1-cup measure and set coconuts aside. (You should have about 3/4 cup liquid. If not, add water.) Bring to a simmer with sugar and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Cool and reserve.
• Bake coconuts on lower rack 15 minutes. Leave oven on. Break shells with a hammer, then remove flesh with screwdriver, prying it out carefully. Peel brown membrane from flesh with a vegetable peeler. Coarsely grate enough coconut on large holes of a box grater to measure 5 cups.
• Make cake layers:
• Butter cake pans, then line bottom of each with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment. Flour pans, knocking out excess.
• Sift together flour (3 1/3 cups), baking powder, and salt.
• Stir together milk and extracts.
• Beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. At low speed, add flour mixture in 3 batches alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until each addition is just incorporated.
• Beat egg whites in another large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat until whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks. Stir one third of whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Spread batter evenly in pans and rap pans on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles.
• Place 2 pans on upper rack and 1 pan on lower rack and bake 20 minutes. Switch position of pans and bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of each cake comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes more. Cool cakes in pans on racks 5 minutes, then run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto racks. Discard parchment and cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Make frosting and assemble cake:
• Beat together egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and salt in a large deep bowl with a handheld mixer (clean beaters if necessary) until combined. Set bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat mixture at high speed until it holds stiff, glossy peaks, 5 to 7 minutes. (Humid weather may necessitate additional beating time.) Remove bowl from heat, then add vanilla and beat until frosting is cooled and very thick, 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer 2 1/3 cups frosting to another bowl and stir in 2 cups coconut to make filling.
• Put 1 cake layer on a cake stand or large plate. Brush top with one third of reserved coconut syrup, then spread with half of filling. Repeat with another layer, more syrup, and remaining coconut filling, then top with third layer. Brush top with remaining syrup, then cover cake with remaining frosting and coat with remaining coconut, gently pressing to help it adhere.

THE COCONUT CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 13x18-inch half-sheet pans, then line it with wax paper or parchment and butter the paper.
• Mix the cake batter according to the recipe directions. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the middle of the cake feels springy when you gently press your finger against it, about 40 minutes.
• Set the pan on a rack to cool completely. Using a 10-inch round cutter, cut 3 round layers from the sheet cake.
• Meanwhile, make the coconut icing according to the recipe instructions.
• Place one cake layer on a turntable and frost the top with about a quarter of the icing; repeat with the second layer. Place the top layer and frost the entire cake with the remainder of the coconut icing.
• Cover the top of the cake with the coconut shreds and flakes, and press them lightly into the sides.

COCO LOPEZ COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Have all your ingredients at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the pan of your choice or line the pan with wax paper or parchment and butter the paper.
• With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter for 1 minute on high speed, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
• Add the sugar to the butter and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
• With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the vanilla; then add the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl midway through.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and sea salt in a separate bowl. In another bowl, combine the milk, cream of coconut, and coconut extract.
• With the mixer on low speed, add half the flour mixture. When it's mostly incorporated, add half the milk mixture. Add the remainder of the dry and wet ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. Stop mixing as soon as you have a smooth batter. Stir in the shredded coconut.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the middle of the cake feels springy when you gently press your finger against it. All ovens are different, so it's important to do the fingerprint test to see if the cake is done.
• Let the cake cool completely before icing.

COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10- by 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a round of wax paper or parchment. Grease paper and dust pan with flour, knocking out excess.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla, then beat in eggs, 1 at a time. (Mixture may look curdled.)
• Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk in 3 batches on low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat batter 1 1/2 minutes, or until smooth. Fold in coconut.
• Spoon batter into cake pan and spread evenly.
• Bake cake in middle of oven until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 1 hour, then invert onto rack. Remove paper and reinvert onto another rack to cool completely.

COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• To make the filling, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) milk with the 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the saucepan, then drop in the pod.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk until completely smooth. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until combined.
• When the milk-sugar mixture is hot, stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine, then whisk it into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. While whisking constantly, pour about one-third of the hot thickened milk into the egg yolks, then scrape the yolk mixture into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, just until the mixture begins to boil (it will be very thick). Pour the mixture into a clean bowl and remove the vanilla pod (it can be rinsed, dried, and used for another purpose; see page 14). Stir in the 1 cup (70 g) coconut, cover, and refrigerate until chilled. (To speed up the chilling, you can set the bowl containing the filling in a larger bowl filled with ice water.)
• To make the syrup, warm the water and 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, add the rum, and let cool to room temperature.
• To assemble the cake, with a long serrated knife, slice the sponge cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and brush evenly with 1/3 cup (80 ml) rum syrup. Evenly spread half of the filling on top of the soaked cake layer. Cover it with a second cake layer. Brush the second layer with another 1/3 cup (80 ml) rum syrup. Spread the remaining filling over the second soaked cake layer. Place the final cake layer on top and brush with the remaining rum syrup. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• To make the whipped cream and finish the cake, in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or in a bowl by hand), whisk the cream until it just beings to hold its shape. Whisk in the 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla until stiff, but don't overbeat.
• Using an icing spatula, spread the whipped cream evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the toasted coconut by sprinkling coconut on top of the cake and pressing some around the sides with your hands.
• Serving
• This cake is delicious on its own. Or, you can make a simple tropical fruit and berry compote to serve alongside: Toss diced mango, papaya, banana, or pineapple (or a mixture); fresh raspberries, blueberries, or sliced strawberries (or a mixture); a few tablespoons of sugar; and a shot of dark rum. Let stand until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is juicy.
• Storage
• This cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, unfrosted. Make the whipped cream and finish the cake the same day you plan to serve it.
• tip
• I prefer to use unsweetened coconut to make the filling, but if you can find only sweetened coconut, reduce the sugar in the filling by 1 tablespoon.

GIANT COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For filling:
• Stir cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water, and vanilla in small bowl to dissolve cornstarch. Bring cream, sugar, and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Add cornstarch mixture and bring to boil. Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Cool completely. Mix in sour cream. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in another large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cream and vanilla. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Divide batter equally among pans. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.
• For frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
• Place 1 cake layer on cake plate. Top with half of filling. Place second cake layer atop filling. Top with remaining filling. Place third cake layer atop filling. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Pat toasted coconut over top and sides of cake, pressing gently to adhere. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 3 hours before serving.)

COCONUT-PEACH LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk buttermilk and sour cream in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in cream of coconut, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Beat egg whites in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter.
• Divide 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. Turn cakes out onto rack; cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.
• Spread flaked coconut on large baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring once, about 14 minutes. Cool. (Cakes and coconut can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature.)
• For filling:
• Stir preserves in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Toss peaches, sugar, and lemon juice in large bowl. Add preserves and toss to combine.
• For frosting:
• Beat first 3 ingredients in large bowl until peaks form.
• Drain peach filling of excess juices. Cut cakes horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on platter. Top with 1/3 of peach filling. Spread 1 cup frosting over filling. Repeat layering 2 more times, then top with final cake layer, cut side down. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Cover cake completely with toasted coconut. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Fan peach slices atop center of cake before serving.
• Cream of coconut is available in the liquor section of most supermarkets.

OLD-FASHIONED COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Combine all 6 ingredients in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat mixture on low speed until smooth. Increase speed to medium and beat 4 minutes. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Cut around cakes to loosen; turn out onto racks. Cool completely.
• For frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and cream of coconut in large bowl until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread layer with 3/4 cup frosting. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup flaked coconut. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Press remaining flaked coconut over top and sides of cake. Chill cake until frosting is firm, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely and keep chilled until 1 hour before serving.)
• *Cream of coconut is available in the liquor section of most supermarkets.