Southern Style Coconut Cake Recipes

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:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8-inch (or 9-inch) cake pans and line with parchment paper. (See note) In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, whole milk and coconut flavoring. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and coconut milk and combine on low speed until moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 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 to 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. Butter cream: Beat together the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar on medium high speed until light and creamy. Add the vanilla, coconut flavoring and enough coconut milk (or regular milk) to reach a spreadable consistency. Mix until smooth. Optional: Spread the coconut on a sheet pan. Toast in a 350 degree oven until golden, checking every 2 minutes. Watch it carefully, the coconut will burn fast. Let it cool completely. Note: I didn't follow this step, and the cake turned out great-- either way. Whipped Cream Cheese Filling: With a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until it starts to thicken. Add 1 cup of the cream cheese butter cream a spoonful at a time while mixing on medium-high speed. Whip to soft peaks. To frost the cake: If desired, slice the 2 cake layers in half to create 4 layers. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Cover with the whipped cream cheese filling. Repeat with the rest of the layers. Frost the entire cake with the remaining cream cheese butter cream and cover in the toasted coconut. Chill for one hour before serving. Store in the fridge, cake will keep for several days. Note: If you have only 2-inch deep pans, consider using 3 pans or 9-inch pans. I brought the cake to slightly room temperature for about 15 minutes, before slicing.

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:

• 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.

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!).

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.