This Easter Sunday we are invited to a Southern Easter Brunch and I was asked to bring dessert. Well, of course, I want to bring a Southern treat to keep with the theme. My favorite Southern dessert is and always has been Coconut Cake. After living in the South, all be it not really a true representative of a Southern State since most people are from Up North, Cuba and South America, I started making this Queen of Coconut Cake after a very true Southern customer asked me to make one for a Southern celebration he was having in his home. I did a lot of research and tried many Coconut Cake recipes, all with great results. But after doing my chemistry thing of mixing, matching and changing so many recipes I came up with a Coconut Cake that is truly my own and a layer cake my many Southerner customers love.
It is “coconut delicious” being loaded with sweetened coconut flakes inside and outside of the cake, coconut custard, coconut milk and PURE coconut extract. (If you have trouble finding pure coconut extract don’t be tempted to use imitation. Substitute with pure vanilla extract. Imitation extracts impart a very OFF taste in baking that is easily detected.)
I chose to use a 7 Minute Frosting as that is Southern traditional and Southern typical of the type of frosting used for a Coconut Cake.
Coconut Cake with Coconut Custard Filling and 7 Minute Frosting
Makes Two 9” Layers
For the Cake
4 Large Eggs, Room Temperature
½ Cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk, Room Temperature
1 Teaspoon Pure Coconut Extract
2¼ Cups Plain Cake Flour (Not Self-Rising)
1½ Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
8 Ounces Unsalted Butter, Softened, Cut into 16 Pieces
1 Cup Shredded Sweetened Coconut
1 Recipe Coconut Custard
1 Recipe 7 Minute Frosting
3 Cups Toasted Coconut
Preheat oven to 350°. Place oven rack in lower middle position of oven. Spray two 9” cakes pans with non-stick baking spray. Cover pan bottoms with rounds of parchment paper and spray with baking spray.
Beat eggs, coconut milk and PURE Coconut Extract with a fork in a small bowl. Measure out 1 cup of this mixture and set aside (you will have a total of 1½ cups to be used separately). Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on the lowest speed to blend the dry ingredients for 30 seconds. With mixer still running at lowest speed, add butter one piece at a time, mix until butter and flour begin to clump together and look sandy and pebbly, with pieces about the size of peas. Once all of the butter is incorporated beat on low for an additional minute. Add reserved 1 cup of egg mixture and mix at lowest speed until incorporated, 5 to 10 seconds. Increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add remaining egg mixture (about ½ cup) in a slow steady stream. Stop mixer and thoroughly scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Beat on medium high until thoroughly combined and batter looks slightly curdled, about 15 seconds longer. Fold in the 1 cup of shredded coconut.
Divide batter between the prepared cake pans, spread batter to sides and smooth with a spatula. Bake 25 – 30 minutes, until top is light brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool on rack 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely before icing.
To ice the cake: Put one layer on a serving dish and spread the Coconut Custard on top to within 1/2″ of the edge. Place the second layer on top and spread the 7 minute frosting on the sides and top of the cake. Press the toasted coconut all over the cake. Refrigerate until one hour before serving.
This is my Easter Gift to you. Happy Easter and enjoy this delicious Southern Dessert.
camille@camillecooksforyou.com