Cooks Illustrated Coconut Layer Cake Recipes

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• 1. For the Cake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with shortening and dust with flour.
• 2. Beat egg whites and whole egg in large measuring cup with fork to combine. Add cream of coconut, water, vanilla, and coconut extract and beat with fork until thoroughly combined.
• 3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on lowest speed to combine, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running on lowest speed, 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.
• 4. With mixer still running, add 1 cup liquid. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With mixer still running, add remaining 1 cup liquid in steady stream (this should take about 15 seconds). Stop mixer and scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then beat at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds. (Batter will be thick.).
• 5. Divide batter between cake pans and level with offset or rubber spatula. Bake until deep golden brown, cakes pull away from sides of pans, and toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes (rotate cakes after about 20 minutes). Do not turn off oven.
• 6. Cool in pans on wire racks about 10 minutes, then loosen cakes from sides of pans with paring knife, invert cakes onto racks and then re-invert; cool to room temperature.
• 7. While cakes are cooling, spread shredded coconut on rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until shreds are a mix of golden brown and white, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Cool to room temperature.
• 8. For the Buttercream: Combine whites, sugar, and salt in bowl of standing mixer; set bowl over saucepan containing 1 1/2-inches of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until mixture is opaque and warm to the touch and registers about 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes.
• 9. Transfer bowl to mixer and beat whites on high speed with whisk attachment until barely warm (about 80 degrees) and whites are glossy and sticky, about 7 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-high and beat in butter 1 piece at a time. Beat in cream of coconut and coconut and vanilla extracts. Stop mixer and scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Continue to beat at medium-high speed until well-combined, about 1 minute.
• 10. To Assemble the Cake: Follow illustrations in chart below. Cut into slices and serve. (Wrap leftover cake in plastic and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before serving.).
• ASSEMBLING THE CAKE.
• 1. With a long serrated knife, cut both cakes in half horizontally so that each cake forms two layers.
• 2. Put a dab of icing on a cardboard round cut just larger than the cake. Center one cake layer on the round.
• 3. Place a large blob of icing in the center of the layer and spread it to the edges with an icing spatula.
• 4. Hold the spatula at a 45-degree angle to the cake and drag it across the surface to level the icing. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with remaining cake layers.
• 5. To ice the sides of the cake, scoop up a large dab of icing with the tip of the spatula and spread it on the sides with short side-to-side strokes.
• 6. Sprinkle the top of the cake with coconut. Then press the coconut into the sides, letting the excess fall back onto a baking sheet.

COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and dust with flour; set aside. Whisk the flour, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the cream of coconut and milk in a small bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the vanilla and coconut extract and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with flour, until combined.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes in the pans, then invert onto the rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Spread the shredded coconut on a baking sheet and bake, stirring halfway through, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and beat until fluffy, about 3 more minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar and coconut extract until combined. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
• Assemble the cake: Put 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Combine 1 heaping cup frosting with 1 cup of the toasted coconut; spread on the cake. Top with the other cake layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake (this is the crumb coat; it doesn't have to be perfect). Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake; top with the remaining 1 cup toasted coconut.

THE BEST COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and cream of coconut in a small bowl. Beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, until combined.
• Beat the egg whites and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with clean beaters on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter in three batches until just combined (do not overmix). Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cakes are lightly browned and the centers spring back when lightly pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 20 minutes in the pans, then run a small knife around the edges of each cake and carefully invert onto the racks; remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in about half of the confectioners' sugar until combined. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar, salt and vanilla and coconut extracts and beat until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Place one cake layer on a cake stand or platter and top with a heaping 2/3 cup frosting. Add another cake layer, more frosting and the last cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the coconut all over the top and sides of the cake, gently pressing to adhere.