Coconut Cake
I’ve never been a big fan of a coconut cake until now. Have you ever heard of the phrase “you better leave well enough alone”. Well that applies to this recipe. I didn’t change a thing. Okay maybe one thing I added Dr. Oetker stabilizer. I found this recipe out of our local newspaper, as I was reading this recipe I just knew I had to make it. The only downside or maybe not downside is it takes two days to make it. According to our newspaper this is a recipe from Kim Ode.
Ingredients
For the cake layers
8 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups coconut flakes or chips, sweetened or unsweetened
For the Coconut Custard Makes about 3 cups (enough for a 4-layer cake)
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (13.5- to 14-oz.) can coconut milk (not low-fat or lite)
1 1/4 cup milk, or enough to equal 3 cups with the coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
For the Whipped Cream Frosting Makes about 5 cups (enough for 2-layer cake)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 package Dr.Oetker stabilizer
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place rack in center position. Using 2 (8- or 9-inch) round pans, cut and fit 2 rounds of parchment paper. Spray paper with cooking spray.
2. Separate the 8 eggs, placing all the whites in a large bowl and placing 4 yolks each in two small bowls. Set 1 bowl of yolks aside for the custard. As you can see on the pic below some of the yolk got in the whites. I could have started all over but I didn’t. I didn’t wanted to waste all those eggs. And I have to tell you the cake came out just fine.
3. Add vanilla and coconut extracts to remaining bowl of yolks and whisk together. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until airy and free of lumps. (You can also use a sieve, which I did.) Set aside.
4. With a mixer, beat together egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until frothy, then slowly begin adding the sugar, a spoonful at a time. Increase the speed and beat until the whites hold a soft peak when beaters are lifted. With a spatula, fold the egg yolks into the whites, then fold in the flour, scraping and lifting from the bottom of the bowl, being careful to deflate the whites as little as possible, until no streaks of dry flour remain.
5. Divide batter among the 2 pans. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until cake springs back when pressed gently in the center.
6. Place pans on wire rack to cool completely. The cakes will shrink a bit as they cool. While oven still is hot, spread coconut on a rimmed pan and toast until golden, watching carefully and stirring occasionally. This will take about 5 minutes for chips, 10 to 15 minutes for flakes. Pour toasted coconut into a bowl and set aside.
COCONUT CUSTARD:
7. While the cake is cooling off make the custard. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks; set aside. In a medium saucepan, stir together the cornstarch, sugar and salt. Open the can of coconut milk pour into a 4-cup measure and whisk to recombine the liquids and solids. Add milk to equal 3 cups and whisk together.
8. Whisk the milk mixture into the cornstarch and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Tip about ½ cup of the hot mixture into the yolks, whisking briskly so the eggs warm without forming lumps. Return the saucepan to the heat and whisk in the yolk mixture, stirring at a boil for another minute. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, then pour into a bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes, then stir. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.
WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING:
9. Add a package of Dr Oetker stabilizer to the heavy cream and sugar. Whip the cream to stiff peaks. Don’t whip it too long otherwise you will get butter.
10. To assemble the cake: Remove cooled cakes from pans and peel off parchment paper. Turn right side up and, with tooth floss or a long serrated knife, carefully split each cake into 2 even layers. Now these cake layers would have been much higher had I not dropped that egg yolk in the egg white. Mental note for the next time don’t crack the egg over the bowl with the egg white ;). Place one layer on a serving plate and cover with a third of the custard (about ¾ cup). Repeat with the remaining cake layers and custard. Spread any remaining custard over the top of the cake. Wrap the outside and top of the cake with plastic wrap, pulling it firmly against the sides, and refrigerate overnight, or for up to two days. Up to within 24 hours of serving, whip the cream, stabilizer and powdered sugar and spread over the top and sides of the cake, then cover generously with the toasted coconut. Return the cake, uncovered, to the refrigerator until serving time. Slice with a serrated knife.
- 8 eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 cup cake flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 2 cups coconut flakes or chips, sweetened or unsweetened
- 4 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 (13.5- to 14-oz.) can coconut milk (not low-fat or lite)
- 1¼ cup milk, or enough to equal 3 cups with the coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 package Dr.Oetker stabilizer
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place rack in center position. Using 2 (8- or 9-inch) round pans, cut and fit 2 rounds of parchment paper. Spray paper with cooking spray.
- Separate the 8 eggs, placing all the whites in a large bowl and placing 4 yolks each in two small bowls. Set 1 bowl of yolks aside for the custard. As you can see on the pic below some of the yolk got in the whites. I could have started all over but I didn’t. I didn’t wanted to waste all those eggs. And I have to tell you the cake came out just fine.
- Add vanilla and coconut extracts to remaining bowl of yolks and whisk together. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until airy and free of lumps. (You can also use a sieve, which I did.) Set aside.
- With a mixer, beat together egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until frothy, then slowly begin adding the sugar, a spoonful at a time. Increase the speed and beat until the whites hold a soft peak when beaters are lifted. With a spatula, fold the egg yolks into the whites, then fold in the flour, scraping and lifting from the bottom of the bowl, being careful to deflate the whites as little as possible, until no streaks of dry flour remain.
- Divide batter among the 2 pans. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until cake springs back when pressed gently in the center.
- Place pans on wire rack to cool completely. The cakes will shrink a bit as they cool. While oven still is hot, spread coconut on a rimmed pan and toast until golden, watching carefully and stirring occasionally. This will take about 5 minutes for chips, 10 to 15 minutes for flakes. Pour toasted coconut into a bowl and set aside.
- COCONUT CUSTARD:
- While the cake is cooling off make the custard. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks; set aside. In a medium saucepan, stir together the cornstarch, sugar and salt. Open the can of coconut milk pour into a 4-cup measure and whisk to recombine the liquids and solids. Add milk to equal 3 cups and whisk together.
- Whisk the milk mixture into the cornstarch and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Tip about ½ cup of the hot mixture into the yolks, whisking briskly so the eggs warm without forming lumps. Return the saucepan to the heat and whisk in the yolk mixture, stirring at a boil for another minute. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, then pour into a bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes, then stir. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.
- WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING:
- Add a package of Dr Oetker stabilizer to the heavy cream and sugar. Whip the cream to stiff peaks. Don’t whip it too long otherwise you will get butter.
- To assemble the cake: Remove cooled cakes from pans and peel off parchment paper. Turn right side up and, with tooth floss or a long serrated knife, carefully split each cake into 2 even layers. Now these cake layers would have been much higher had I not dropped that egg yolk in the egg white. Mental note for the next time don’t crack the egg over the bowl with the egg white ;). Place one layer on a serving plate and cover with a third of the custard (about ¾ cup). Repeat with the remaining cake layers and custard. Spread any remaining custard over the top of the cake. Wrap the outside and top of the cake with plastic wrap, pulling it firmly against the sides, and refrigerate overnight, or for up to two days. Up to within 24 hours of serving, whip the cream, stabilizer and powdered sugar and spread over the top and sides of the cake, then cover generously with the toasted coconut. Return the cake, uncovered, to the refrigerator until serving time. Slice with a serrated knife.