Southern Coconut Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don't be concerned.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.
• For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).
• To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

Steps:

• For the cake: Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and cream of coconut in a small bowl. Beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, until combined.
• Beat the egg whites and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with clean beaters on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter in three batches until just combined (do not overmix). Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cakes are lightly browned and the centers spring back when lightly pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 20 minutes in the pans, then run a small knife around the edges of each cake and carefully invert onto the racks; remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in about half of the confectioners' sugar until combined. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar, salt and vanilla and coconut extracts and beat until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Place one cake layer on a cake stand or platter and top with a heaping 2/3 cup frosting. Add another cake layer, more frosting and the last cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the coconut all over the top and sides of the cake, gently pressing to adhere.

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.

Steps:

• CAKE: Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper Put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk slightly. Add 1/2 cup milk and coconut flavoring. Mix thoroughly. Set aside. In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and coconut milk and combine on low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg white mixture in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing just long enough to incorporate between additions. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely. FROSTING: Put the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until fluffy and smooth. Add the butter 1-2 tablespoons at a time, mixing until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until creamy. Set aside. Combine the granulated sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, have the egg white in the bowl of an electric mixer, ready for when the syrup is at the proper temperature. Slowly add the hot syrup to the egg whites, while mixing on medium-low. When all of the syrup is incorporated, raise the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture has cooled to body-temperature and it forms stiff peaks. With the mixer on medium-low, add the cream cheese and butter mixture one spoonful at a time. When all is incorporated, raise the speed to medium and whip until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Frost the cooled cakes and cover with shredded coconut.

Steps:

• Beat 1 cup butter at medium speed with electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add 2 cups sugar. Add 4 egg yolks one at a time, blending well after each.
• Combine flour and baking powder. Add this alternatively to mixture with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add vanilla.
• Beat egg whites at high speed until peaks form. Gently fold in egg whites into batter mixture. Spoon into three greased and floured pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes until done. Cool on wire racks for ten minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool on wire racks.
• Spread lemon filling between layers. Spread cream cheese frosting over all and cover top and sides with coconut. Garnish with lemon slices.
• For lemon filling: Combine 1 cup sugar, cornstarch and boiling water in medium pan. Cook while stirring until dissolved. Temper eggs. Then add eggs to cooked mixture. Whisk in lemon juice and rind. Cook whisking constantly until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Cool completely. (Do not stir once cooled as fillings made with cornstarch will breakdown and liquefy if stirred; just spoon on).
• For cream cheese frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla.

Steps:

• Remove liquid from coconut and reserve.
• Remove the"meat" of the coconut and shred.
• Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 2 cups of sugar, beating well.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Beat at low speed until blended after each addition.
• Stir in flavorings and pour into 3 greased and floured 9" round cake pans.
• Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans on wire racks.
• Make frosting: Combine sugar and water in a heavy saucepan.
• cook over medium heat stirring, constantly until mixture is clear.
• Cook without stirring until syrup reaches the soft-ball stage or a candy thermometer reaches 240°F.
• while syrup cooks beat egg whites at low speed with an electric mixer until foamy.
• Add cream of tartar and salt; beat at medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Increase to high speed and add hot syrup in a heavy stream.
• Add marshmallows, a few pieces at a time.
• Beat until stiff peaks form and frosting is thick enough to spread.
• Combine 2 tbsp sugar and coconut milk.
• Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir until sugar dissolves.
• Brush one cake layer with half of the coconut milk"syrup" leaving 1/2" margin around the edges.
• Spread with 1/2 cup boiled frosting and sprinkle with1/2 cup of shredded coconut-- repeat with each layer.
• Top with remaining cake layer.
• Spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake; sprinkle with remaining coconut.
• Cover and chill.