Southern Coconut Cake From Scratch Recipes

COCONUT CAKE WITH COCONUT BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Position oven rack in the center (or just below center) of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F [175°C]. Grease and flour three round cake pans. Line pans with parchment paper for easy release and clean-up. NOTE: 8" or 9" cake pans will work for this cake. (They must, however, all be the same size!)
• Measure sifted cake flour, baking powder, and salt; sift together three times. Set aside.
• Combine sour cream and coconut milk in a small bowl and set aside.
• Using an electric mixer with a large mixing bowl, cream butter and 1 cup of sugar together until light and fluffy. Add coconut extract and mix to combine. Add flour mixture alternately with coconut milk and sour cream mixture, beating after each addition. Remove bowl from mixer and set aside.
• [DO NOT begin this step until you have completed the previous step.] In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually, beating until meringue will hold soft peaks.
• [Do this step by hand. Do not use a mixer.] Carefully fold beaten egg whites into batter.
• Pour batter evenly into the three prepared cake pans. Bake layers in preheated oven: 22-25 for 9" cake pans / 25-30 minutes for 8" cake pans - or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean. (If your oven cooks unevenly, carefully rotate pans on rack at the 15-minute mark.)
• Allow cakes to cool in their pans over wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully tap out onto wire rack to cool completely. Wrap and chill layers in refrigerator for at least an hour (or up to a week if you need to).
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add coconut and vanilla extracts and salt and mix to thoroughly combine.
• Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition.
• Add coconut milk, one tablespoon at a time time, beating on medium-high until fully incorporated.
• Once the cake is completely chilled, trim the layers.
• Spread the top of the bottom layer of cake with frosting. Add the middle layer and frost top. Add the top layer.
• Apply a crumb coat to the entire cake. (A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting that covers the top and sides of a cake.) Return the cake to the refrigerator for another 15 minutes.
• Frost the entire cake with a generous layer of frosting. Sprinkle flaked coconut over top and sides of cake before the frosting sets.

OLD FASHIONED COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Combine eggs and sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
• Add flour and baking powder and beat on low until smooth.
• Add coconut flavoring.
• Combine milk and butter in a saucepan and heat until butter melts.
• Fold into other mixture.
• Bake in 2 or 3 greased and floured 8 or 9 inch cake pans at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Thaw the packages of coconut.
• Squeeze each opened package coconut over the cooled cakes so that the coconut "milk" is sprinkled over the cake and soaks into the cake. Ice generously with "Seven-Minute Frosting" (#96449).
• Topping the icing with the coconut (in between the layers too!).

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 CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening; lightly flour. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating just until blended. Divide batter evenly among pans.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In heavy 2-quart saucepan, mix 1 1/2 cups sugar and the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is clear. Cook, without stirring, to 240°F on candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and 1/8 teaspoon salt; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high; pour hot syrup into egg white mixture. Add marshmallows, a few pieces at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and frosting is thick enough to spread.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave 2 tablespoons sugar and the coconut milk on High 1 minute; stir until sugar dissolves. Brush half of the coconut milk mixture over 1 cake layer to within 1/2 inch of edge. Frost with 1 cup of the frosting; sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the coconut. Top with second cake layer; brush with remaining coconut milk mixture. Frost with 1 cup frosting; sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting on top and side of cake; sprinkle with remaining coconut.

OLD FASHIONED COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.
• Beat butter and margarine together using an electric mixer in a bowl until creamy. Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl.
• Add eggs one at a time to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with coconut milk and vanilla extract, beating after each addition until smooth. Pour about 2 1/3 cups batter into each prepared cake pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cake layers cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes more.
• Stir sour cream, sugar, coconut, and milk together in a bowl until filling is well blended.
• Remove one cake layer from the pan and invert onto a cake plate. Poke holes approximately 1-inch apart using the end of a wooden spoon until entire cake has been poked. Spread 1/3 of the filling on the cake layer. Top with second layer; repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again.
• Combine sugar and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Heat the pot over boiling water, stirring with a wire whisk until all sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Transfer sugar mixture to the bowl of an electric stand mixer and beat using the wire attachment until soft peaks form. Switch to the paddle attachment. Pour in vanilla extract and salt. Beat in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated. Beat until meringue reaches a thick buttercream consistency. Spread onto cake. Decorate with coconut as desired.

MOIST COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
• Cream sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy; scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add egg, coconut flavoring, baking powder, and salt; beat for 1 minute and scrape the bowl. Beat in coconut milk until combined. Stir in flour until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat for 3 minutes.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread until smooth. Drop the pan from 2 inches above the counter a few times to eliminate any large air pockets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the sides of the cake pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool completely, 30 minutes or longer.
• Meanwhile, bring cream to a full boil, watching carefully to prevent scorching. Remove pan from the heat and add white chocolate; stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Place in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Remove chocolate mixture from the refrigerator and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Frost the cooled cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

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.