Family Chefmate: Coconut Layer Cake

This coconut layer cake will not disappoint you. This delicious cake is chalked full of coconut in every bite. I was raised in Florida and my grandfather had a coconut tree farm. It takes about 10 years to get a coconut tree to bear good coconuts. The rich coconut milk is hidden under a hard shell and a thick husk to protect the milk. This recipe has both the coconut milk and rich coconut in the cake and in the frosting. This recipe was taken from the William and Sonoma book called Essential Baking. I did substitute the cake flour with whole wheat pastry flour and the sugar with organic cane sugar.

Coconut Layer Cake:
Pre-Heat Oven: 350 degrees
Serves: 12

2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon cream of tarter

In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together for 3 minutes. Then add the egg yolks one at a time beating well between each egg addition. Remove the batter from the mixer and fold in the vanilla, coconut milk, flour and baking powder with a rubber spatula. Set cake batter aside.

In a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with the cream of tarter until medium peaks form. Fold in the beaten egg whites into the batter and then fold the coconut into the batter. Don't over mix the batter or the cake will be tough. Pour the batter into two greased 9 inch cake panes that are lined on the bottom with parchment paper. Bake the cakes at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 7 minutes. Remove the cake from the pans and remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake. Allow the cakes to continue to cool.

Frosting:
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons water
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups loosely packed sweetened coconut
1 cup loosely packed sweetened coconut (decorating the cake)

In a metal bowl over medium heat, combine the egg whites, cane sugar, corn syrup, water and lemon juice. Heat a pot of water until it simmers. Place the metal bowl over the hot simmering water. Whisking the ingredients continually over the simmering water until the temperature has reached 160 degrees and the sugar has dissolved. Then remove the bowl from the heat. Beat the liquid with a hand mixer or stand alone mixer with a whisk attachment on high until a stiff glossy frosting appears around 7 minutes. Using a rubber spatula fold in 2 cups of coconut.

Assembling the Coconut Cake:
Place one of the cooled cakes on a cake platter or large plate and then spread an even layer of frosting on top. Then add the second cooled cake to the top of the frosting and frost the top and sides of the cake with the frosting. Decorating the cake by sprinkling one cup of extra coconut on top of the cake.

Coconut Cake Batter