Throwdowns Toasted Coconut Cake With Coconut Filling And Coconut Buttercream Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch-by-2-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk together the milk, egg whites, vanilla seeds and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
• 2. In the bowl of a stand up mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the 2 1/4 cups flour, the sugar, baking powder and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, add the 12 tablespoons butter, one piece at a time, and continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. With the mixture on low speed, add the remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds more. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 20 seconds longer. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
• 3. Bake until toothpick inserted into the centercomes out with a few crumbs attached, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in the pans on a baking rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pans and invert the cakes onto the baking rack. Remove the parchment paper and let cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• 4. Make the coconut filling: Combine the coconut custard and cream in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.
• 5. Make the coconut buttercream: Beat the butter and confectioners' sugar in a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the coconut custard and salt; beat until the buttercream is smooth.
• 6. Assemble the cake: Use a long serrated knife to slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Reserve one of the flat bottom layers for the top of the cake. Place another one of the layers on a cardboard round, cut-side up, and brush with some of the coconut simple syrup. Spoon one third of the coconut filling onto the cake, and using a small offset metal spatula, spread it into an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the cake. Repeat with 2 more layers. Brush the cut side of the reserved cake layer with the remaining syrup. Place the layer, cut-side down, on top of the cake. Frost the sides and the top of the cake with the buttercream. Pat the toasted coconut onto the sides of the cake and sprinkle some on top.

Steps:

• For the toasted coconut: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Spread the coconut evenly onto a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden brown, stirring once, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the coconut sit in the oven until very dry and crunchy, about 15 minutes longer.
• For the simple syrup: Bring water and sugar to a boil. Stir in the coconut, remove from the heat and let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Strain the liquid into a clean saucepan, bring to a boil and let cook until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• For the custard: Combine the milks and vanilla bean and seeds in a medium nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
• Whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture then return the mixture to the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the rum and vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
• For the filling: Combine the custard and cream in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.
• For the buttercream: Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the coconut custard and salt and beat until combined and smooth.
• For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9 by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the milk, egg whites, vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With mixer running at low speed, add the butter, one piece at a time and continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1/2 cup of the milk mixture, increase speed to medium and beat 30 seconds more. Scrape sides of bowl and mix for 20 seconds longer. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pan and smooth the tops using a rubber spatula.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in the pan on baking rack for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the side of the pan and invert cakes onto the baking rack, removing parchment paper, and let cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• To Assemble: Using a long serrated knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Reserve 1 of the flat bottom layers for the top of the cake. Place another layer on a cardboard round cut side up and brush with some of the coconut simple syrup. Spoon 1/3 of the coconut filling onto the cake and using a small offset metal spatula, spread it into an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the cake. Repeat with 2 more layers. Brush the cut side of the reserved cake layer with the remaining syrup. Place the layer cut side down on top of the cake.
• Frost the sides and top of the cake with the buttercream. Pat the coconut onto the sides of the cake and sprinkle the remaining coconut on the top of the cake.

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the convection oven to 325 degrees F or a standard oven to 350 degrees F.
• In large mixer bowl, cream together the granulated sugar and butter until light and fluffy with a heavy duty mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix thoroughly after each addition. Add the coconut extract and mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add half of the flour to the mixer bowl along with 1/2 cup of the half-and-half. Mix until the flour is mixed in, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the rest of flour mixture and the other 1/2 cup half-and-half. Mix until the batter is smooth and all of the flour lumps are gone. Fold in the coconut flakes.
• Fill 24 cupcake liners half full and bake for 20 minutes in the convection oven or 28 minutes in the standard oven. The tops of the cupcakes should be lightly browned. Check the cupcakes to make sure no batter sticks to a wooden toothpick when inserted into the cupcake. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• For the mousse filling: In large mixer bowl, beat the heavy cream, half-and-half, coconut extract and pudding mix until light and fluffy using a heavy duty mixer. It should have the consistency of whipped cream. Gently fold in the coconut using a plastic spatula. Put the filling in a pastry bag or zipper bag with a corner cut off.
• For the coconut buttercream: In large mixer bowl, beat together the butter and half of the powdered sugar using heavy duty mixer. Add the half-and-half and the rest of the powdered sugar, along with the coconut extract, and mix well. If the frosting is thicker than you would like, add 1 teaspoon of additional half-and-half at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the frosting reaches the correct consistency. The thickness may depend on the humidity levels in your region. Put into a pastry bag.
• To assemble: Make a hole in the middle of each cupcake using a sharp knife. Be sure and leave a small amount of cake in the bottom of the hole. Fill the cupcakes with the mousse filling. Frost with coconut buttercream. You may top the cupcakes with more flake coconut or toasted coconut as desired.
• Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 15 regular-size cupcake liners.
• In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together thoroughly.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and whisk until the eggs whites form a soft meringue. Remove the egg white mixture from the mixing bowl and set aside.
• Using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and remaining 1 cup sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour and coconut milk, alternating between the two, beginning and ending with the flour. Once all the flour has been added, mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides and beat in the egg white mixture until smooth.
• Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full and bake until the tops are golden brown and the cupcakes are baked through, about 25 minutes. Rotate the cupcake pans halfway through the baking process.
• For the lemon curd: In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs. Stir in the butter, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until smooth. Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir. Repeat 5 times, or until thick.
• For the buttercream: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the extracts and lemon zest and beat until light and fluffy.
• For the coconut: While cupcakes are baking, spread the shredded coconut over a sheet pan and toast and until light brown, about 7 minutes.
• To assemble: Once the cupcakes are cool, core out the middle of each cupcake and generously fill with the lemon curd. Fill a pastry bag equipped with desired pastry tip with coconut-lemon buttercream. Pipe the buttercream over the top of each cupcake and sprinkle with toasted coconut.