I was so disappointed in this cake. This was a real disaster. I can account some of it to living at high altitude, but not all. The cake was tough and did not rise well, as if I had overmixed it, which I had not. The coconut, with fresh coconut sounded like a great idea, but had the brown inner skin of the coconut which grated in the cuisinart along with the white. The frosting was like thick marshmallow fluff and it pulled the cake as I frosted it so that it made the cake fall apart. Its saving grace was a lemon curd filling that I made to break up the sweetness, but even that could not save it. I will not make it again
Coconut Cake
This recipe comes from our assistant kitchen director, Ben Mims, whose family enjoys coconut cake every Easter.
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Credit: Anna Stockwell
2 cups sugar
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
5 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 tbsp. warm water
2 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
FOR THE ICING:
2 mature coconuts
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
4 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1. Heat oven to 350°. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat together sugar and butter until pale and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth. Stir together buttermilk, vanilla, and baking soda mixture, and with the mixer on low speed, add to batter alternately with cake flour, beating until just combined. Pour batter into two buttered and floured 9" round cake pans, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 40 minutes. Let cakes cool completely, and then unmold and split each in half horizontally to create four layers; refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Crack coconuts, pour coconut water through a fine strainer into a small bowl, and reserve; finely grate coconut meat and set aside. In a 2-qt. saucepan, stir together 2 1/4 cups sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water; attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, place egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, and mix on low speed until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high and beat egg whites until soft peaks form. With mixer running, slowly sprinkle in remaining sugar and beat whites until stiff peaks begin to form; turn mixer off. When sugar mixture reaches 248°, return mixer to medium-high speed and slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup in a small, steady stream into the egg whites, making sure not to let the syrup hit the whisk or side of the bowl; continue beating until stiff peaks form and mixture is still slightly warm, about 3–4 minutes.
3. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer cut side up on a cake stand and drizzle with some of the reserved coconut water to moisten; spread a 1/4"-thick layer of icing on top and then sprinkle with a handful of grated coconut. Repeat with two more layers, and then top with the last layer, cut side down. Spread remaining icing over top and side of cake and then cover with grated coconut, pressing it into the icing lightly to adhere; cover with a cake dome, or loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
SERVES 12–16
Ratings & Reviews (2)
I'm with Julie. This was the worst cake I've ever made, and I've been baking for 32 years. The cake was dense, tough, and didn't rise--no surprise since there's next to no leavening and the eggs weren't separated. (Julie, your altitude had nothing to do with it--I'm almost at sea level!) The coconut water served only to make the cake damp, and the strange gooey marshmallow-like frosting pulled and then oozed. Patting the raw coconut all over the cake looked pretty (my photos are gorgeous) but served only to give the cake a strangely medicinal odor and odd texture. The cake is going in the garbage after one slice. What a waste of good butter and eggs! Bakers, don't bother with this recipe. Instead, use either recipe from the 1975 Joy or 1979 Fannie Farmer. You'll be glad you did!
Coconut Cake
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