Holiday Coconut Cake Recipes

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.

CHRISTMAS COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and another in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch cake pans, then line each with a parchment paper round. Butter the paper and dust the pans with flour; knock out the excess.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt to blend. In a small bowl, stir together the milk, coconut milk, and coconut cream until smooth. Add the flour mixture in 3 increments, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 increments, starting and ending with the flour mixture. After each addition, mix at low speed just to combine the ingredients. Stir in the vanilla.
• Place an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and another in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch cake pans, then line each with a parchment paper round. Butter the paper and dust the pans with flour; knock out the excess.
• To make the whipped cream filling:
• Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in the coconut cream and the fresh coconut, if using.
• To make the frosting:
• Whisk the egg whites, sugar, water, cream of tartar, and salt in a large stainless-steel bowl until thoroughly combined. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of barely simmering water. Using a hand beater or handheld electric mixer, continue beating the egg white mixture for 4 minutes. Add the mini marshmallows in 2 increments while continuing to beat. Wait until the first batch of marshmallows has melted before adding the second. Continue beating for 2 to 3 minutes more, until stiff peaks form. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and continue beating until the frosting is thick enough to spread.
• To assemble the cake:
• Stack one cake layer on a serving plate and spread the top with half of the whipped cream filling. Repeat with a second layer. Stack the final cake layer on top of the first two and cover the cake's top and sides with the frosting. Sprinkle the coconut on the top and sides of the cake.
• Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap and store for 1 day at room temperature or up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Tip:
• It's challenging to press coconut into the sides of the cake. When pressing the coconut in, the icing invariably sticks to my fingers and mars the frosting's finish. I've discovered that throwing small handfuls of coconut toward the side of the cake makes it adhere quite well-a messy but effective technique for creating a gorgeous-looking cake.
• Tip:
• For those who want to follow Aunt Molly's original recipe, here are her directions for extracting coconut meat and liquid from a fresh coconut: "First buy a fresh coconut. To select the best one, shake it to listen for a lot of milk inside. Prepare the coconut by first making a hole or two in one end with a hammer and ice pick. Stand the coconut up over a small bowl or glass measuring cup to catch the milk as it drains out. Next, crack the hard outer shell with a hammer, then pry off the pieces. The inner white coconut meat can then be grated [with a handheld microplane grater]. Refrigerate both the milk and grated coconut until ready to use."

CHOCOLATE COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle half of the shredded coconut on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until golden brown, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.
• Combine the instant espresso and water in a measuring cup; stir until dissolved. Add to a medium bowl, along with the cake mix, vegetable oil and eggs. Beat for 2 minutes with a handheld mixer on medium speed. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a baking rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, butter, coconut milk, salt and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Beat with a handheld mixer on medium speed until light, fluffy and smooth, about 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining (untoasted) coconut with a rubber spatula.
• If the cakes have domed in the center, trim to level the tops. Place one cake layer, up-side down, on a platter or plate. Spoon one-third of the frosting on top and spread evenly, almost completely to the edge. Place the other layer, up-side down, on top, pressing gently to anchor. Using an offset spatula, evenly frost the entire cake; if the frosting gets too soft, place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Gently press the toasted coconut around the outside of the cake and sprinkle it over the top.
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

HOLIDAY SNOWFLAKE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter until butter melts. Combine flour and baking powder; add to egg mixture alternately with milk mixture. Beat until well mixed. Add vanilla. Fold in nuts if desired. , Pour into 3 greased 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15-18 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil; cook over medium-high heat until a thermometer reads 244° (firm-ball stage). , Meanwhile, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl on high speed until foamy. Slowly pour the hot sugar syrup over the egg whites while beating continuously. Continue beating on high until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes. Add vanilla; beat until frosting cools slightly and reaches desired consistency., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup coconut. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cakes with remaining frosting; sprinkle with remaining coconut.

ONE-POT HONEYCOMB CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Place a 9-inch Bundt or cake pan in the oven.
• In a heavy saucepan, add the tapioca flour, rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, coconut water or water, miso, pandan extract, optional vanilla extract, and melted butter and whisk to combine. While continuously whisking, heat over medium heat until all the sugar dissolves and the mixture is homogeneous. Rest for 5 minutes.
• Then crack the eggs directly into the saucepan. Cut each yolk in halves or quarters using clean scissors. Whisk the mixture gently until all the eggs are barely incorporated. Add the baking powder and cream of tartar and whisk until just combined. Some lumps are okay.
• You'll need to work quickly now. Using oven mitts, remove the preheated pan from the oven. Generously grease the entire interior of the pan with cooking spray or neutral oil. With a fine-mesh strainer, carefully sieve all the batter directly into the pan. Use a spatula to press and direct the batter through the strainer as needed. The pan is still hot, so while still using an oven mitt, swirl the batter in the pan so it's evenly distributed in the pan.
• Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let the cake rest in the oven for 5 minutes. Then with the oven door slightly ajar, keep the cake in the oven for an additional 15 minutes. The cake will deflate a little.
• Cool completely at room temperature. Dust with the optional confectioners' sugar or coconut flakes or both. Slice and serve.

HOLIDAY APPLE COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Cream oil, sugar, and eggs with an electric mixer until it is well-blended.
• Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.
• Add dry ingredients to the creamed oil, sugar, and eggs, and mix thoroughly.
• Blend in apples, coconut, raisins, pecans, and vanilla extract.
• Mix the entire mixture very well.
• Bake in a greased and floured "Bundt" pan at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

HOLIDAY COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round pans; set aside. Process 1/2 cup coconut and nuts in food processor until finely ground; set aside.
• Mix matzo meal and potato starch; set aside. Beat egg yolks in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and lemon colored. Beat in orange juice and matzo meal mixture until blended. Gently stir in coconut mixture and orange zest.
• Beat egg whites in separate bowl with mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently stir into batter. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Invert cakes onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely. Place 1 cake layer on serving plate; spread top with about 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP. Sprinkle with half the pineapple and 1/4 cup of the remaining coconut. Cover with remaining cake layer. Frost cake top and sides with remaining COOL WHIP; sprinkle with remaining coconut. Garnish with remaining pineapple. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.