BEST EVER COCONUT CREAM CAKE

BEST EVER COCONUT CREAM CAKE

Author: from America's Test Kitchen
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time:  2 hours
Cook time:  50 mins
Total time:  2 hours 50 mins

This Coconut Cream Cake is so tender and deliciously covered in Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream and beautifully toasted coconut.

INGREDIENTS

COCONUT CAKE:

• 1 large egg plus 5 large egg whites
• ¾ cup cream of coconut
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 2 ¼ cups cake flour, sifted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, softened, but still cool
• 2 cups packed sweetened shredded coconut (about 8 ounces)

COCONUT BUTTERCREAM:

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• pinch table salt
• 1 pound unsalted butter (4 sticks), each stick cut into 6 pieces, softened, but still cool
• ¼ cup cream of coconut
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR COCONUT CAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
In large measuring cup add egg whites, whole egg, cream of coconut, water, vanilla, and coconut extract and beat with fork until combined.
In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt for 30 seconds on lowest setting. With mixer still running, add butter 1 piece at a time, and beat until mixture looks like coarse meal (butter pieces should be no bigger than small peas), about 2 minutes.
Keep mixer running and add 1 cup of liquid. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and slowly pour in remaining 1 cup liquid. Turn off mixer and scrape down sides of bowl, then beat on medium-high speed to combine, about 20-30 seconds. The batter will be deliciously thick.
Pour equal amounts of batter into prepared cake pans and level off with offset spatula. Bake until deep golden brown, cake pulls away from sides of pans, and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Do not turn off oven.
Move pans to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes in pans, then loosen cakes from pan, invert cakes onto cooling racks, then re-invert; cool to room temperature.
While cakes cool, spread shredded coconut onto rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until shreds are a mix of white and golden brown, about 15-20 minutes, stirring 2-3 times. Cool completely.

FOR COCONUT BUTTERCREAM: In bowl of stand mixer set over saucepan with 2 inches of barely simmering water, whisk egg whites, sugar, and salt. Whisk constantly until mixture is opaque and warm to the touch and an instant-read thermometer registers 120 degrees, about 2 minutes.
Move bowl to mixer and beat with whisk attachment on high until whites are barely warm and they look glossy and sticky, about 7 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-high and beat in butter 1 piece at a time. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl. Turn mixer to medium speed and beat in cream of coconut and coconut and vanilla extracts. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until well-combined, about 1 minute.

ASSEMBLE CAKE: Place dab of buttercream on cake plate or cake stand. Put 1 cake round on center of cake plate and place about 1 ½ cups of frosting on top. Spread buttercream in even layer using large offset spatula. Place second cake round on top and frost sides and top of cake. Sprinkle top of cake with coconut, then press coconut into the sides of cake moving from bottom to top of cake. Let excess coconut fall back onto baking sheet.
Slice and serve!

source :http://foodfolksandfun.net

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