🥥Coconut-Maximus🥥
I’ve always loved coconut, but this summer, I’ve gone Cuckoo for Coconut. If you really love the taste of sweet, delicious coconut, this is the Coconut Layer Cake recipe you’ve been waiting for. Death-by-chocolate, move over….give me death by coconut! This is my death row cake! You know, the one I’d request for my final meal!
Want to make a coconut lovers dream come true? Three davine layers of moist coconut cake, filled with a rich, creamy coconut custard. Then this 🎂 cake goes one better and is topped with a 🥥 coconut buttercream frosting, and sprinkled with more sweet, toasted coconut flakes. This coconut dream-boat takes the cake. It really is delicious and not overly sweet.
👩🏻🍳Baking (A Coconut Layer Cake) Is A Labor 💘 Of Love ❤️ 💕
Making a 🎂 cake takes a little bit of effort, that’s for sure. I don’t know of too many gestures that scream “you’re special!” than making a cake to celebrate! In this world where we can have anything we want delivered to our door step in no time at all, putting in a little effort really does make a statement.
Soon enough, we’ll all be living like 🛸the Jetsons! One button and whatever you want is at your fingertips . For now, sometimes I still love to bake like our Grandmas did, the old fashioned way.
Coconut Layer Cake! Make Ahead and Relax Later
A day ahead, you can make the 🍰 cake, the 🥥 coconut simple syrup and the 🥥 coconut custard. The next day, you can toast the coconut and make the 🥥coconut buttercream and assemble and frost the cake. Here’s the scoop!
For the 🥥 Coconut Syrup
This is gives the extra moisture to the Coconut Layer Cake. In a small sauce pan, add 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar and bring in to a simmer on medium heat. Turn off the heat and add 2 teaspoons of coconut extract, Stir and let it cool. Refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the cake.
For the 🥥 Coconut Custard
In a small bowl, whisk to combine 4 egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. In a medium size sauce pan, heat 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk on medium low until it comes to a simmer (I used low fat coconut milk, but any kind is okay). Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture, then return to the pan and while whisking, bring to a boil. Whisk until thickened, remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Mix in 1 teaspoon each of vanilla and coconut extract. Cover with plastic and chill until you are ready to assemble the cake.
For the Cake
Preheat the oven to 350° and prepare 2 6 x 2 inch cake pans or 2 8 inch cake pans. Spray or lightly butter, then flour pans. Add parchment to the bottom of the pans, and butter and lightly flour the top of the parchment as well. Set aside.
Beat 6 room temperature egg whites until they are soft fold stage, set aside.
Into The Mixer
Into the bowl of your mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add the 2 1/4 cups cake flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix about 10 seconds on low speed. While the mixer is on low, add the butter and mix until it resembles moist crumbs. Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. While the mixer is still on low, add another 1/2 cup of coconut milk and continue to mix about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides half way through.
Fold in the 🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚 egg whites, gently. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out nearly clean. About 25 minutes for the 8 inch cake pans and about 35 minutes for the 6 inch cakes. Check frequently towards the end as oven temperatures vary. Then remove pans from the oven and allow to cool, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
If you’re making these cakes in advance, once completely cool, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to assemble (no more than overnight).
For The 🥥 Coconut Buttercream Frosting
Add 1/2 cup softened butter to the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment. Add confectioners sugar, one cup at a time and 1 tablespoon of coconut milk, milk or cream with each additional cup of sugar. Allow each cup of sugar and milk to mix from low speed to high and blend for 5 minutes at high after each addition. Repeat until all the sugar is incorporated. Add the extracts, 1 teaspoon each of coconut and vanilla, and beat 3 more minutes. If necessary, add a bit more coconut milk to reach the desired consistency, careful to not make the buttercream too thin.
For The Coconut Layer Cake Assembly
Cut each cake in half, using a serrated knife. Place a layer, flat side down on a cake plate and lightly brush with the coconut simple syrup. Top the layer with 1/3 of the coconut custard in the center and using an off set spatula, spread evenly, keeping about 1/4 inch from the edge.
Continue with the rest of the layers. For the top layer, be sure to put the flat side of the last layer facing up. This will ensure that you get a flat, easy to ice layer on top.
It does help to chill the cake after filling with the custard and a light crumb coating of frosting. If the cake is a little wobbly (especially true if using the 6 inch cake pans, cut for 3 layers), secure with dowels. I used chop sticks to secure, then pulled them out when it was time to finish frosting the top of the cake.
Using your hands, pat the toasted coconut onto the sides of the coconut layer cake.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour, plus extra for dusting pans
- 1 cup coconut milk, unsweetened
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cups cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
For the Coconut Custard
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coconut Simple Syrup
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons coconut extract
For the toasted Coconut
- 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
For the Buttercream
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2-4 tablespoons milk or coconut milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Simple Syrup
- put the sugar and the water in a pan to simmer. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and add the coconut extract. Set aside to cool.
For the Cake
- Prepare 2 6 inch cake rounds or 2 8 inch cake rounds. Spray or lightly butter, then flour pans. Add parchment to the bottom of the pans, and butter and lightly flour the top of the parchment as well. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat egg whites until they are soft fold, set aside
- Into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, mix to combine. While the mixer is on low speed, add the butter piece by piece until the mix resembles moist crumbs. Add 1/2 the the coconut milk and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. While the mixer is still on low, add the the other half cup of coconut milk and continue to mix about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides half way through. Gently, fold in the egg whites.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes up with just a few crumbs attached. About 25 minutes for 8 inch cakes and 30-35 for 6 inch cakes. Let cakes cool about 10 minutes, then remove from pans and allow to cool completely on wire racks.
For the Coconut Custard
- Into a medium size sauce pan, add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer over medium low heat.
- In a bowl, add the cornstarch, egg yolks and sugar and mix to combine. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture, then return to the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Whisk until thickened. Put into a bowl, then stir in the coconut extract and vanilla. Set aside.
Toasted Coconut
- Spread the coconut onto a ungreased cookie sheet. Let the coconut toast at 325 degrees, about 12 minutes. Watch to be sure it doesn't burn, remove from the oven and let cool.
For the Buttercream
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment. Add confectioners sugar, one cup at a time and 1 tablespoon of coconut milk. Allow each cup of sugar and milk to mix from low speed to high and blend for 5 minutes at high after each addition is combined. Repeat until all the sugar is incorporated. Add the extract and beat 3 more minutes. If necessary, add a bit more coconut milk to reach the desired consistency.
Assembly
- Cut each cake in half, using a serrated knife.
- Place a flat layer side down on a cake plate with the cut side facing up.
- Lightly brush with layer with the coconut simple syrup.
- Top the layer with 1/3rd of the coconut custard in the center and using an off set spatula, spread evenly, keeping about 1/4 inch from the edge.
- Repeat steps with the rest of the layers. On the top layer, be sure to put the flat side of the last layer facing up. This will give you a flat, uncut layer to frost.
- If necessary, chill the cake before the first layer of crumb coatings of icing.
- Frost the cake with a very thin layer as a crumb coating. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Once chilled, continue to frost the cake. Pat the toasted coconut onto the sides of the cake.
