Homemade Coconut Cake with Fluffy White Frosting and Fresh Coconut
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Makes 8 to 10 servings
Yes, you can substitute 2 cups flaked coconut (toasted, if you wish) and
about 1/4 cup coconut-flavored liqueur for the fresh coconut and homemade coconut syrup, but...
Cake:
Butter and flour, for preparing pans
3 cups sifted, then measured, cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup canned, unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Coconut and Coconut Syrup:
1 fresh coconut (shake to be sure it is full of juice)
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup fresh coconut juice (not canned coconut milk)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Frosting:
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar (if necessary, whirl granulated sugar in a blender
until very fine; don substitute confectioner's sugar)
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
- To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350=B0deg; F. Lightly butter two 9-inch
round cake pans, line the bottoms with waxed paper rounds, dust with flour and shake out the excess.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together onto a piece of waxed
paper. In a large mixing bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, beat the butter
until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light in color and texture, about 3
minutes. One at a time, beat in the egg yolks. Alternating in three additions, beat in the
coconut milk and flour mixture. Beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts.
- In a greasefree medium bowl, using very clean beaters, beat the egg
whites until stiff, but not dry. Stir about one-fourth of the whites into the batter to lighten
it, then fold in the remaining whites. Spread evenly in the prepared pans. Bake until the
tops of the cakes spring back when pressed gently in the centers, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool
for 5 minutes, then invert onto wire cake racks. Remove the waxed paper, turn
right sides up, and cool completely.
- To make the coconut flakes and syrup, hold a coconut in one hand over a
bowl. Turning the coconut in one hand like a ball, rap it around its equator with a
hammer or the back of a heavy cleaver. After a few whacks (more or less), the coconut
will crack open, and the juice will spill into the bowl. Strain the juice through a
fine wire sieve into a small saucepan and set aside. Using a small, sturdy knife, pry out the
coconut meat from the shell. It will come out in pieces, but try to keep them as large as
possible. Using a swivel vegetable peeler, peel the coconut. Shred the coconut with a cheese
grater (rotary or standing) or a food processor fitted with the fine shredding
blade.
- Preheat the oven to 350° Place the shredded coconut on a baking sheet
and toss with the confectioner's sugar. Bake, stirring often, until the coconut is dry and
mostly toasted light brown with some white shreds, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, add the
granulated sugar to the coconut juice and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to
dissolve the sugar. Completely cool the toasted coconut and coconut syrup.
- To make the frosting, combine all of the ingredients, except the
extracts, in a 2-quart double boiler insert or heatproof bowl. Place over a medium saucepan of
seriously simmering water. Using a hand-held electric mixer set at medium-high speed,
beat until hot and fluffy, a full 7 minutes (set a timer). Remove from the heat, add
the vanilla and coconut extracts, and beat for 1 more minute to cool slightly. Use the
frosting immediately, or it could crust over.
- Place a dab of frosting in the center of a serving plate. Place one cake
layer upside down on the plate. Brush with 2 tablespoons of the coconut syrup. Spread
with 1 cup of the frosting and sprinkle with 1/3 cup toasted coconut. Top with the second
layer, right side up, and brush with 2 more tablespoons of coconut syrup (you will have
leftover syrup). Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Press the remaining coconut on the top and sides of the cake. Serve within 8 hours.
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