EMERIL'S COCONUT LAYER CAKE

EMERIL'S COCONUT LAYER CAKE image

Categories Cake

Yield serves 10

Number Of Ingredients 13

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Nonstick cooking spray
4 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting the pans
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
11 ounces (2 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups coconut milk, unsweetened (see Notes)
7 egg whites (9 ounces) (reserve 4 yolks for the filling)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup Cruzan coconut rum (see Notes) (optional)
Coconut Cream Filling (recipe follows)
Coconut Frosting (recipe follows)
3 cups coconut, sweetened, flaked, toasted, for garnish

Steps:

PART ONE. PART TWO IS ABOVE Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 10-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Cut three circles of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with the parchment, then grease the parchment with nonstick cooking spray, and then lightly dust the parchment and the sides of the pans with flour. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl. In a standing electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on low speed until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut milk, egg whites, and vanilla together. With the electric mixer still on low speed, begin alternately adding the liquid and the dry ingredients to the creamed butter in three stages, beginning with the liquid and mixing well after each addition (to minimize mess when adding flour, add just a bit at a time). Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Tap the pans lightly on the counter to eliminate any air bubbles, and place them in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, and then turn them out onto wire cooling racks to cool completely. Brush the cooled layers with the coconut rum, if desired.