Growing up, my mom was notorious for her coconut cake. Back then it didn't matter to any of us that it came from a box, was mixed with vegetable oil and was topped with canned frosting. It was good that's all we knew.
Fast forward to this year; for mom's 71st birthday, I decided to try my hand at a made from scratch coconut cake. I scoured the internet for a recipe and finally decided on one from Cooks Illustrated. I added my own touches and the cake turned out beautiful. Mom loved the intense coconut flavor both in the cake and in the homemade coconut buttercream. She was happy and I can't ask for much more than that.
Coconut Cream Cake
(adapted from Cook's Illustrated)
1 large egg, room temperature
5 large egg whites, room temperature
3/4 cup coconut cream (not cream of coconut)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon coconut extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour (9 ounces), sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (6 ounces/1-1/2 sticks), cut into 12 pieces, softened, but still cool
Heat oven to 325℉. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and dust with flour. Beat whole egg and egg whites in large measuring cup with fork to combine. Add coconut cream, coconut milk, vanilla, and coconut extract; beat with fork until thoroughly combined.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on lowest speed to combine, about 30 seconds. With mixer running, add butter 1 piece at a time, then beat until mixture resembles coarse meal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, 2 to 2-1/2 minutes.
Add 1/2 of egg mixture, increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add remaining egg mixture. Stop mixer and scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then beat at medium-high speed until fully combine, about 30 seconds. (Batter will be thick.)
Divide batter evenly between cake pans and level with offset spatula. Bake until golden brown, cakes pull away from sides of pans, and toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then loosen cakes from sides of pans with paring knife, invert cakes onto racks and then re-invert; cool to room temperature.
Coconut Buttercream Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
3 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coconut extract
4-5 tablespoons coconut cream
Cream butter in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add powdered sugar, coconut extract, salt, and coconut cream. Beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional coconut cream 1 tablespoon at a time.
Mmmm....This looks divine!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cake is a chocolate bundt cake.
ReplyDeleteBanana cake with cream cheese frosting.
ReplyDeleteI love chocolate cream cake the best.
ReplyDeleteCan I choose your fabulous looking coconut cream cake as my new favorite cake?! Looks delicious!
ReplyDeletelemon pound cake
ReplyDeleteItalian Cream Cake is my favorite, especially during the holidays.
ReplyDeleteYellow cake with fudgy dark chocolate icing is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cake is Coconut and Lemon curd
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely cake and LUV that you made it from scratch. I'm always in the mood for a good, homemade cake! Beautifully done.
ReplyDeletehow nice to make a coconut cake from scratch for your mom's birthday! it's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI make a Hershey's chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.... it's SO yummy!
ReplyDeleteFollowed you on Instagram - mustardseedmommy
ReplyDeleteI love coconut cake, it's one of my favorites! :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, coconut! So this cake is a dream come true to me! Every kind of coconut imaginable! Wish I didn't have to wait to bake it! Drooling!
ReplyDeleteOH and COCONUT is my favorite cake!!
DeleteLovely Cake!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking that THIS is my new favorite cake. I know it would be my husband's fave - he's crazy for coconut!
ReplyDeleteI think you can't go wrong w a really good chocolate cake, like a Devils Food Cake. Or a carrot cake, as long as there are no nuts in it!
ReplyDeleteI follow on instagram.
ReplyDeleteRed Velvet!
ReplyDeleteLooks heavenly!!!
ReplyDeleteIt look super moist and beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cake - I just love that last picture!
ReplyDeleteTHIS! This is my favorite cake. I left a comment on your pin. Mama mia!! I do love chocolate too. Anything chocolate or coconut is on my "to live for" list. =)
ReplyDeleteAnd, I'm following you on IG. Follow back, please. =)
DeleteDone!
DeleteI really like funfetti cake! I know really mature ;)
ReplyDeleteBoston Cream
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you had such a good example for home baking. This looks great!
ReplyDeleteI would have to pick German Chocolate with Coconut Pecan frosting.
ReplyDeletelove coconut cream cake, has always been one of my favorites!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cake would be a chocolate ice cream cake!
ReplyDeleteGreat looking cake!
ReplyDeleteThat just beautiful! Happy 71st birthday to your mom!
ReplyDeleteThat IS just beautiful! Happy 71st birthday to your mom! (had to correct my mistake) haha
DeleteI LOVE this cake - and that cake stand - oh my heavens - need that in the worst way :)
ReplyDeleteI've been baking a chocolate stout cake quite often lately and can't get enough. I even add a bit of the booze to the frosting!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a coconut fan but that cake turned out beautiful and I'm sure your mom loved it
ReplyDeleteI love how beautiful your cake looks. Congrats on making one from scratch. BTW...LOVE that spinning plate!!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteThis looks like the perfect cake. The color is amazing and it looks so moist!
ReplyDeleteRenee - Kudos Kitchen
My favorite is rum cake with sugar icing.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cake is pumpkin cake
ReplyDeleteshaunie
I love a good coconut cake!
ReplyDeleteRed Velvet is my favorite kind of cake.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cake is devils food cake. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway :)
ReplyDeleteRenee
fattybumpkins at yahoo dot com
My favorite cake is chocolate
ReplyDeletethanks
aunteegem@yahoo.com
My favorite cake is Red Velvet, but only the kind that does not use cocoa. I prefer the one that tastes like a spice cake and has an icing made with milk that's been cooked then allowed to cool.
ReplyDeleteangel food cake with fruit
ReplyDeleteCarrot cake is my favorite!
ReplyDelete