6 Inch Southern Coconut Cake Recipes

COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.
• Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the egg whites until combined, then add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and coconut extract. Beat until combined. Mixture will look curdled as a result of the varying textures and solid butter combining. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and coconut milk. Beat on low speed until combined, then add the shredded coconut. Whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no butter lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
• Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Weigh them to ensure accuracy, if desired. Bake for around 21-23 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
• In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, coconut milk, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin, more coconut milk if frosting is too thick, or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
• Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with the third cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I use and recommend an icing spatula to apply the frosting and bench scraper to smooth the sides. Sprinkle coconut on top of the cake and apply it to the sides. This can get a little messy and you can watch me do it in the video tutorial above. See blog post above about buttercream rose decoration.
• Refrigerate cake for at least 20 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting, though it's still a pretty fluffy cake!
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

6 INCH SOUTHERN COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. For Custard Filling: 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 water. 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 Coconut Cakes: 1- Preheat oven to 325'F grease two 6" round cake pans, line and grease bottoms of pans with parchment circles. 2- Cream together butter and sugar for 6 minutes until super fluffy! 3- Add eggs to butter/sugar one at a time until completely incorporated. 4- In another large mixing bowl sift together all your dry ingredients.(Flour, salt and baking powder.) Set aside. 5- In a measuring cup mix together cream and vanilla and coconut extracts. 6- Add flour and cream to butter mixture gradually, alternating between adding flour and cream. Start and end with flour mixture. 7- Do not over mix!!! 8- Pour batter out into pans and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
• 3. For Frosting: 1- Beat butter and cream cheese together for 2 minutes until fluffy. 2- Beat in vanilla extract. 3- Beat confectioner's sugar in on medium speed one cup at a time until completely incorporated.
• 4. For Simpler syrup: 1- Heat water on stove top over medium heat in a small sauce pan. 2- Stir in sugar and dissolve it. 3- Bring water to a boil, then take off of heat and set aside to cool.
• 5. Assembly: 1- Once cakes are completely cooled, level off any doming in the cakes with a cake leveler or a serrated bread knife. 2- Divide each cake into two layers. You will have 4 cake layers total. 3- Place first layer of cake down on a cake dish and coat the cake layer liberally with simple syrup. 4- Spread about 1/2 cup of coconut custard on the layer evenly. 5- Place next layer of cake on top of that layer and repeat this process for the remaining layers, omitting a layer of custard on the very top of the cake. 6- Frost as desired with cream cheese frosting and garnish. I like to garnish the sides of the cake with toasted coconut and top it with the untoasted sweetened flakes.

SOUTHERN COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350.
• 2. Mix all of the cake ingredients together with a wire whisk until well blended. Don't use an electric mixer for this.
• 3. Mama says it makes a cake dry when you beat the batter up to long.
• 4. Butter and four 2-8 inch round cake pans. You can use 2-9 inch cake pans, but the cake won't be as high.
• 5. Divide cake batter between pans. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes. Whisk the cakes cool and make the icing.
• 6. Place the sugar, water and corn syrup in a sauce pan on medium heat.
• 7. Using a candy thermometer cook to the soft ball stage or 240 degrees, stirring constantly.
• 8. The mixture should become almost clear. You can also do this in the microwave does make this step easier.
• 9. Cook on high for 4 minutes, remove and stir well and then cook for about 3 more minutes on high.
• 10. This could vary by a minute or 2 depending on the power of your microwave. It still needs to reach the soft ball stage.
• 11. With an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the baking powder until it reaches the soft peak stage.
• 12. Slowly pour in the syrup and keep mixing until the icing stands in peaks. This takes some time to accomplish so don't give up on it.
• 13. Just keep beating it and eventually the peaks will form.
• 14. Place one of the cake layers on a pretty cake plate.
• 15. Frost the top of the first layer and sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut.
• 16. Place the other layer on top of the first and frost the entire cake.
• 17. Sprinkle the rest of the coconut over the top and sides of the cake.

SIX-LAYER COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. In another large bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form; gently fold into batter., Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in orange juice until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into eggs; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the butter, orange zest and extract. Cool to room temperature without stirring. Cover and refrigerate., For frosting, in a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, egg whites, water, salt and cream of tartar over low heat or double boiler over simmering water. With a portable mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute. Continue beating on low over low heat until frosting reaches 160°, about 12 minutes. Pour into the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer; add vanilla. Beat on high until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 7 minutes., Split each cake into two horizontal layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/3 cup filling. Repeat four more times. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with coconut. Store in the refrigerator.