Coconut Birthday 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.

COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don't be concerned.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.
• For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).
• To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

INCREDIBLE COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. , Preheat oven to 325°. In another large bowl, beat sugar, butter and oil until well blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. , Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in coconut and extracts.. , Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites., Transfer to 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until smooth. , Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting and sprinkle with 1/3 cup coconut. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake; sprinkle with remaining coconut. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting. Store in the refrigerator.

CARROT-COCONUT BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• For the carrot-coconut birthday cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and lightly coat them with coconut flour.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, honey and eggs until creamy. (Don't worry if the mixture looks broken; the batter will become smooth as you add more ingredients.)
• In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, oat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ground ginger and baking powder. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until evenly incorporated. On low speed, mix in the coconut milk until combined and then gradually add the remaining half of the dry ingredients. Turn the machine off and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated. Fold in the carrots and applesauce. Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans.
• Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
• Run a paring knife around the edge of the pans and then invert the cakes onto 2 racks. Let cool completely. (Do not move the cakes around too much; they are delicate.)
• For the coconut cream cheese frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese, honey, powdered sugar and coconut cream on high speed until fluffy and evenly incorporated.
• To assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a 10-inch (or larger) cake stand. Scoop a quarter of the frosting on top and spread it to the edges. Stack another cake layer on top and spread with another quarter of the frosting. Stack the third cake layer and spread a third quarter of the frosting around the entire cake to serve as a crumb coat.
• Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before frosting the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the coconut flakes over the top.

OLD-FASHIONED COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 9-inch round cake pans.
• Mix sugar, eggs, and egg yolks together in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Heat milk and butter in saucepan over low heat until butter melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl. Pour into egg mixture. Add vanilla extract and milk mixture; beat well using an electric mixer. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, thoroughly clean mixing bowl and beaters. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until foamy.
• Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan. Boil until a candy thermometer reads 242 degrees F (116 degrees C), 3 to 4 minutes.
• Beat egg whites on high speed. Carefully pour in hot sugar mixture in the side of the bowl, avoiding the beaters; continue to beat on high until stiff peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract.
• Place 1 cooled cake layer on a serving platter and frost the top. Repeat with second and third layers of cake. Complete frosting the sides, top, and throughout. Sprinkle coconut on top and smooth onto sides of cake using your hands.

COCONUT BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• I would recommend starting this cake a day or so in advance of serving so that you can allow the assembled cake at least 24hrs to meld in the refrigerator before serving.
• For the Cake:.
• Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 325 degrees. Grease and flour (2) 9" cake pans.
• Whisk the egg whites and egg in a bowl to combine. Add the cream of coconut, water, vanilla, and coconut extract. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
• Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on the lowest speed to combine, about 30 seconds.
• With the mixer still running, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Then with the mixer still running, add 1 cup of the liquid. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 45 seconds. Add the remaining liquid in a steady stream until combined.
• Divide the batter between the two cake pans and level the pans with a spatula.
• Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Cool in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then loosen the cakes from the pans and place top sides up on a cooling rack and cool to room temperature.
• For the Filling:.
• Stir the cornstarch, water, and vanilla in small bowl to dissolve the cornstarch.
• Bring the cream, sugar, and butter just to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan. Add cornstarch mixture and bring back to a boil.
• Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Cool completely.
• Mix in the sour cream. Cover and refrigerate.
• For the Frosting:.
• In a large bowl, combine the egg whites and the sugar and whisk until well blended. Set the bowl on top of a double boiler, or transfer mixture to the top pan of a double boiler and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar is thoroughly melted.
• Transfer to the egg and sugar mixture to a stand mixer and beat on High with the whisk attachment until the bowl has cooled to the touch and the meringue forms stiff peaks.
• While beating on medium speed, slowly add the room temperature butter, about 1/4 cup at a time until thick and creamy. Add the vanilla and blend until combined.
• The frosting can be made in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.
• For the coconut topping:.
• Spread out on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven until light golden brown. Allow to cool thoroughly.
• To assemble the cake:.
• Using a knife, dental floss (the non-mint kind) or a cake wire, slice each cake into two layers so that you have 4 layers of cake.
• Put a dab of frosting on your cake plate so that the bottom layer does not move around.
• Place one of the cake bottoms on the cake plate and use the butter cream to create a 'lip' around the edge of the cake. This will prevent any filling from oozing over the edge of the cake when you put the layers together.
• Spoon one-third of the filling onto the cake and spread evenly.
• Continue with the remaining layers, finishing with a cake top for the top layer.
• Frost with the vanilla buttercream and don't worry if it isn't perfecly smooth since you're going to be pressing coconut on top.
• Next, press the toasted coconut onto the sides and top and refridgerate at least 24hrs before you serve the cake.

CLASSIC COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray; line bottom of pans with parchment paper rounds.
• Mix flour and coconut in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk and baking soda in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks and beat to blend. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another large bowl until peaks form. Add 1/3 of egg white mixture to batter; fold into batter just to blend. Fold in remaining egg white mixture in 2 additions. Divide batter between pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around sides of cake pans. Invert cakes onto racks. Carefully peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.
• For frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Place second layer, flat side up, atop frosting. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle some of coconut over top of cake; pat more coconut on sides of cake. DO AHEAD: can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.