COCONUT LAYER CAKE

This is one of my favorite cakes to bake and enjoy! The richness of the sweet cream of coconut in the batter and in the frosting just brings this cake to the forefront of perfection! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

YIELD: 10 servings

CAKE INGREDIENTS

2 3/4 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

1/2 TEASPOON SALT

1 3/4 CUPS SUGAR

1 CUP (2 STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER, ROOM TEMPERATURE

1 CUP CANNED SWEETENED CREAM OF COCONUT

4 LARGE EGGS, SEPARATED

1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT

1 CUP BUTTERMILK

1 PINCH OF SALT

1/2 TEASPOON SEA SALT

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING INGREDIENTS

YIELD:

3 1/2 cups

2 (8-ounce) packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco López)*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FROSTING PREPARATION

1. Beat the Cream Cheese in your mixing bowl until light and fluffy.

2. Add the butter and blend then slowly add the sugar, the sweetened cream of coconut and the vanilla extract and blend until light and fluffy.

3. You can keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it just allow it to soften back to room temperature if you allow it to get too cold before spreading.

CAKE PREPARATION

Use my pan preparation trick from the pros: In a air tight container add 4 tablespoons of Crisco shortening and two to three tablespoons of all purpose flour and mix them together until creamy smooth. Now using a pastry brush coat two 9-inch-diameter cake pans and set aside.
Add your dry ingredients into a separate bowl: flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and whisk together.
In your mixing bowl add your room temperature butter (cut up into equal sized chunks) and beat it until it is smooth. Now slowly add the sugar and continue to beat it until it is changes in color (becomes lighter) and is fluffy now add the sweetened cream of coconut and beat until all ingredients are light and fluffy in texture.
Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract and slowly add in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, and mix until all ingredients are well blended and smooth in appearance and texture.
Now use another bowl (I use my hand blender stick to do this part) to beat the egg whites and add a pinch of salt in another large bowl until stiff and glossy then gently fold them into the batter.
Divide cake batter between prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes and test each pan by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of each cake. If the tester comes out clean your cakes are done if not allow them to bake a few more minutes then retest.
Allow your cakes to cool in their pans for approximately 10 minutes then carefully turn your cakes out of their pans and finish cooling on a baking rack until completely cool.
Now for assembly: place 1 cake layer on your desired cake plate and spread 1 cup of the Cream Cheese Frosting over it. Sprinkle 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut over the frosting and pat so it adheres. Top it with the second cake layer and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of cake. Sprinkle the remaining shredded coconut over the entire cake while gently pressing it so that it adheres to the frosting.
*Tip-This cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead just cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Take it out of the refrigerator and allow it to stand at room temperature for 2 hours prior to serving.