Laurie Osteens 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.

COCONUT CAKE WITH 7-MINUTE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil 2 (9-inch) cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Oil the parchment paper and then flour the pan. Set aside.
• Place the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
• Combine the coconut milk and coconut cream in small bowl and set aside.
• Place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and using the paddle attachment, cream on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and gradually add the sugar slowly over 1 to 2 minutes. Once all of the sugar has been added, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Turn the mixer back on to medium speed and continue creaming until the mixture noticeably lightens in texture and increases slightly in volume, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the coconut extract.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk mixture to the butter and sugar in 3 batches, ending with the milk mixture. Do not over mix.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the batter, just until combined. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bang the pans on the counter top several times to remove any air and to distribute the batter evenly in the pan. Place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 40 minutes or until the cake is light golden in color and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.
• Cool the cake in the pans for 10 minutes then remove and transfer to a cooling rack. Once the cakes have cooled completely cut across the equator of each to form 4 layers. Place the 1/3 cup coconut water into a small spritz bottle and spray evenly onto the cut side of the 4 layers. If you do not have a spritz bottle you may brush the coconut water on with a silicone pastry brush. Allow to sit while preparing the frosting.
• For the frosting:
• Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium to maintain a steady simmer. In the meantime, place the egg whites, sugar, coconut water, cream of tartar and salt into a medium size-mixing bowl. Place the bowl over the simmering water and immediately begin beating with an electric hand mixer set to low speed. Beat for 1 minute and then increase the speed to high and continue to beat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and beat in the coconut and vanilla extracts for 1 minute. Allow the frosting to sit for 5 minutes before using.
• Place approximately 3/4 cup of the frosting on the first layer of cake, sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut and top with the next layer. Repeat until you reach the top layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake and sprinkle with the remaining coconut. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

THROWDOWN'S TOASTED COCONUT CAKE WITH COCONUT FILLING AND COCONUT BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Spread the coconut evenly onto a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden brown, stirring once, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the coconut sit in the oven until very dry and crunchy, about 15 minutes longer.
• Bring water and sugar to a boil. Stir in the coconut, remove from the heat and let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Strain the liquid into a clean saucepan, bring to a boil and let cook until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Combine the milks and vanilla bean and seeds in a medium nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
• Whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture then return the mixture to the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the rum and vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Combine the custard and cream in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the coconut custard and salt and beat until combined and smooth.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9 by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the milk, egg whites, vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With mixer running at low speed, add the butter, one piece at a time and continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1/2 cup of the milk mixture, increase speed to medium and beat 30 seconds more. Scrape sides of bowl and mix for 20 seconds longer. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pan and smooth the tops using a rubber spatula.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in the pan on baking rack for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the side of the pan and invert cakes onto the baking rack, removing parchment paper, and let cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• Using a long serrated knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Reserve 1 of the flat bottom layers for the top of the cake. Place another layer on a cardboard round cut side up and brush with some of the coconut simple syrup. Spoon 1/3 of the coconut filling onto the cake and using a small offset metal spatula, spread it into an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the cake. Repeat with 2 more layers. Brush the cut side of the reserved cake layer with the remaining syrup. Place the layer cut side down on top of the cake.
• Frost the sides and top of the cake with the buttercream. Pat the coconut onto the sides of the cake and sprinkle the remaining coconut on the top of the cake.

CLASSIC COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Bake the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Spray again and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, coconut, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a separate, smaller bowl, combine buttermilk and coconut oil; set aside.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat sugar, butter and vanilla on medium-high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating each egg until well incorporated before adding the next one. Continue beating until the mixture is very pale and nearly doubled in volume, another 4 minutes. Scrape down sides of the bowl, making sure no pockets of butter and sugar are hiding at the bottom, and beat another minute or so.
• Reduce speed to medium-low and add a third of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 the buttermilk mixture, and mix just to blend. Add another third of the flour mixture and the remaining buttermilk mixture and mix just to blend, then finish up by adding the remaining flour mixture.
• Divide batter among cake pans and smooth the tops. Bake in the middle racks until cakes are puffed, pale golden brown on top and starting to pull away from the sides, about 32 to 37 minutes. Let cool slightly in pans before inverting on wire racks to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and salt together on high speed until nearly pure white and very fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Place one cake round bottom-side-up on a large, flat plate (or cake stand). Using an offset spatula, frost with about 1 1/2 cups frosting and place second layer of cake on top, bottom-side-up (this will give your cake a flat, rather than a rounded top). Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and around the sides of the cake, making sure to fill in any crevices or gaps where the two layers meet. Chill cake for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, if you'd like to lightly toast the coconut, place it on a rimmed baking sheet and toast at 325 degrees until pale golden in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. (It will give the coconut a great toasted flavor, but you'll lose the pure white snowball look of the finished cake.)
• Frost cake with remaining frosting on the top and up the sides. Pat coconut onto the sides and sprinkle on the top of the cake. Chill cake for at least 30 minutes more before slicing.

COCONUT POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan, making sure to shake out any excess flour.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 cups flour with the baking powder and salt.
• In a large bowl and using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the machine running, beat in the coconut oil, scraping down the bowl often, until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions.
• Add half the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the coconut milk and beat to combine. Add the remaining dry ingredients and 1 cup of the toasted shredded coconut, and beat just until combined. Do not overmix.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons shredded coconut evenly over the top.
• Bake until puffed and golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes.
• Transfer to rack to cool for 20 minutes, then tip the loaf out onto the rack to cool completely. Store leftovers well wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.