SOUTHERN STYLE COCONUT CUSTARD CAKE

Southern Style Coconut Custard Cake image

It is a big one! I mean a really big one. four layers, ten inches, weighing almost 12 pounds! We were having a mad awesome party down at the ACofJ and I remember Sensei talking about how she loved coconut cake. She was describing this coconut cake she had in Fernandina, and to me it sound like she was describing a Southern style...

Provided by Maggie May Schill

Time 15h50m

Number Of Ingredients 27

Ingredients

FOR CUSTARD
5 c heavy cream
2 1/2 c sugar
1 lb unsalted european style butter
1/4 c cornstarch
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 c shredded sweetened coconut
warm water (exact amount will vary, according on kitchen conditions)
FOR CAKE
1 lb unsalted european style butter
3 c sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c heavy cream
1 1/2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract
FOR FROSTING
1 c unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 c confectioners' sugar
SIMPLE SYRUP
equal parts sugar and water
GARNISH
2 c toasted coconut flakes

Steps:

1. For Custard: 1- Over medium heat melt butter and sugar together. 2- Add cream and stir until it reaches a boil. 3- In a small mixing bowl mix cornstarch, vanilla extract, and just enough water to convert corn starch into a slurry. (paste-like consistency). 4- Put coconut flakes in a food processor and process until fine. 5- Mix cornstarch mixture into hot cream mixture. 6- Pour hot cream mixture out into a large casserole dish or baking pan. 7- Mix in coconut flakes 8- Let set in fridge for 12 hours.
2. For Cake: 1- Preheat oven to 325'F grease two 10" round cake pans. 2- Cream together butter and sugar for 6 minutes until super fluffy. 3- Add eggs to butter mixture, cream one at a time until completely incorporated. 4- Sift together all your remaining dry cake ingredients. (flour, salt, baking powder) 5- In a measuring cup mix together cream, coconut extract and vanilla. 6- Add flour and cream to butter mixture gradually, alternating between adding flour and cream. Start and end with flour mixture. Do not over mix!!! 7- Pour batter out into pans and bake for about 45 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
3. For Frosting: 1- beat sugar and cream cheese together until fluffy. 2- beat in vanilla extract 3- Gradually beat in confectioner's sugar until completely incorporated.
4. For simple syrup: 1- Pour water and sugar into a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves into water. 2- Bring to a boil, then set aside off of heat.
5. Assembly! 1- Once cakes have cool completely, level off their tops. 2- Cut each leveled coconut cake in half 3- Place first layer of cake down on a cake dish and brush liberally with simple syrup then coat with coconut custard. (a little less than 1/2 cup of custard per layer usually comes out about right.) 4- Repeat this process for each layer of cake, omitting a custard layer on the very top of the cake of course. 5- Frost cake and garnish. 6- Slice chilled. You can store it for up to 5 day in a fridge.