CLASSIC COCONUT LAYER CAKE FILLED WITH PINEAPPLE CURD by Sarah Phillips © 2006 Sarah Phillips baking911.com
Makes 12 servings.
Cake and photo by sugarpie © Sarah Phillips, baking911.com Cake frosted with Cream Cheese Icing and filled and decorated with Toba's Pineapple Curd. Two cake layers were torted.
This recipe is as incredible as it is beautiful. It perfect to serve for Christmas or Easter or in between. I love to pair this dense and moist cake with a tangy and rich cream cheese frosting and fill it with pineapple curd. To make this recipe, you’ll need to buy one 15-ounce can of sweetened cream of coconut (not coconut milk), typically found in liquor section of most grocery stores. How to Tint Coconut.
CAKE HELP
INGREDIENTS
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut - DO NOT SUBSTITUTE - such as Coco Lopez brand; stir well before measuring, otherwise the recipe will not turn out It can be ordered online
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar; for egg whites
Cream Cheese Frosting
SARAH SAYS: Add in 2 tablespoons Coco Lopez to the cream cheese frosting with 1 teaspoon coconut extract, plus a little extra powdered sugar add beat!
1/2 Recipe Pineapple Curd Filling, optional; you will have some left over
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
SARAH SAYS: You can use eggs, butter and buttermilk right from the refrigerator.
sugarpie SAYS: "A smooth, homogenous cream of coconut gave great results while a grainy, lumpy coco lopez caused uneven distribution of fat and sugar causing fat/sugar saturated and deflated cakes."
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position the oven shelf to the middle and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9- x 2-inch- cake pans. preferably light colored, heavy NOT nonstick pans. (If you use dark, nonstick baking pans or ovenproof, Pyrex glass pans, be sure to reduce the oven heat by 25 degrees F).
SARAH SAYS: I love to make it for special occasions, and bake the recipe in three 8 x 2-inch cake pans for 30 minutes.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, on low until softened. (If the butter is cold, it will warm quickly from the beaters - taking about 60 seconds). Add the sugar and cream of coconut. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until light yellow and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape the side and bottom of the bowl with a large rubber spatula.
3. With the mixer on low, add the egg yolks one at a time and beat for 20 seconds after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts. (If the eggs are cold, the batter will curdle slightly. It's ok. It will come together as the batter warms from the beaters. ) Stop the mixer and scrape the side and bottom of the bowl with a large rubber spatula. After the egg yolks have been added, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and beat the mixture for 30 seconds.
4. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in 3 equal portions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 equal portions, beginning and ending with the flour. (If the milk is cold, the batter will curdle slightly. It's ok. It will come together when you add the flour.)
Add the flour and liquid ingredients in increments quickly; do not wait in between additions too long as you don't want to overmix the batter.
After completing the last addition of flour, stop the mixer, and scrape the side and bottom of the bowl with a large rubber spatula. Then, let the mixer run for 30 seconds on LOW. The batter will be very thick. STOP the mixer. Do NOT overmix.
5. In a clean mixing bowl, free from any fat or grease, beat the egg whites: Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment, and beat the egg whites with cream of tartar on low until foamy. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high until the soft peak stage is reached when the peaks of the whites droop slightly, when the beater is turned off and lifted. Then, increase the mixer speed to HIGH until FIRM peaks just form. DO NOT OVERBEAT. The egg white foam Beat until the egg whites are stiff and glossy. If egg whites are beaten to dry and dull, they are overbeaten -- Watch carefully, because egg whites can go from stiff to dry and overbeaten in as little as 30 seconds.
6. Fold the egg whites into the batter: Stir the batter gently right before folding in the beaten egg whites so it is completely mixed. Stir a big spoonful of egg whites into the mixture and gently stir with your whisk to lighten the batter. With a rubber scraper, scoop about 1/3 of the remaining egg whites on top of the batter and fold until the ingredients are combined. Repeat two more times. Stop when the batter looks evenly streaked with beaten egg whites and batter.
7. Carefully scoop and divide the batter between the prepared baking pans and lightly smooth the tops. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top feels firm and gives slightly when touched and will shrink slightly from the side of the pan. The cake will be slightly browned. If you insert a toothpick in the middle and remove, there should be a few moist crumbs attached, but not batter.
Remove cakes to cool on wire racks for 10 to 15 minutes. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula or sharp knife, taking care not to scratch the cake pan. Invert onto cake rack and place upright to cool completely. Be careful, the cakes are delicate when warm.
ASSEMBLE - if using optional Pineapple Curd Filling. (Pineapple Curd can be made a day ahead):
1. Trim (two) cake layers.
2. Torte each layer: cut each horizontally in half with a long serrated knife to form a total of 4 thin layers.
3. Put 1 cake layer, cut side up, on a cake plate. Spread 6 tablespoons of the pineapple curd filling over it.
Top with another cake layer, cut side up. Spread 6 tablespoons of the pineapple curd filling over it.
Top with a third cake layer and Spread 6 tablespoons of the pineapple curd filling over it.
Top with fourth layer, cut side down.
4. Frost sides and top of cake with cream cheese frosting. Coat with coconut, lightly pressing it to adhere.
SARAH SAYS: I toast the coconut that will go on the outside of the cake.
5. Refrigerate cake for about 2 to 4 hours or up to 24 hours in advance to set frosting and filling. Keep refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Coconut Layer Cake can be filled and frosted up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stand to warm to room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
STORAGE
Cake layers can be stored, well wrapped, at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, or frozen for one to two months.
Cakes filled with pineapple curd and frosted with cream cheese frosting must be refrigerated. It will keep for 3 days or so.
Cake and photo by Lindat. Here's the coconut cake ready to go for Thanksgiving. I filled it with a little lemon curd and cream cheese frosting;
Cream cheese frosting on the outside. The decorations are chocolate plastic and white chocolate plastic colored with food coloring.
VARIATIONS
COCONUT RUM CAKE with Pineapple Filling
Bake Coconut Cake in two 9 x 2-inch cake pans. Cool completely.
Pineapple filling
Rum Syrup
2 2/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut (7-oz package) or 3 1/2 cups fresh coconut shavings
Italian Meringue Buttercream flavored with 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
PINEAPPLE FILLING
INGREDIENTS
1 (20-oz) can crushed pineapple, including juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
Make pineapple filling: Stir together crushed pineapple and juice, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a heavy saucepan until cornstarch is dissolved. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then simmer, stirring, 3 minutes. Cool filling completely, stirring occasionally. Store in the refrigerator. Can be prepared 2 to 3 days in advance.
RUM SYRUP
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons light rum
INSTRUCTIONS
Make rum syrup: Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Transfer to a small bowl and chill until ready to use. Keep refrigerated. Can be made a week in advance.
ASSEMBLE CAKE
1. Torte each Coconut Cake layer: cut each horizontally in half with a long serrated knife to form a total of 4 thin layers.
2. Put 1 cake layer, cut side up, on a cake plate and brush top with a very thin layer of warm rum syrup.
Spread 1/2 cup of the cooled pineapple filling over it.
3. Top with another cake layer, cut side up, and brush lightly with syrup. Then spread with about 1/2 cup buttercream.
4. Top with a third cake layer and brush with syrup, then spread 1/2 cup pineapple over it. Top with fourth layer, cut side down, and brush with remaining syrup.
5. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining buttercream, then immediately coat with coconut, lightly pressing it to adhere.
SARAH SAYS: Use a frosting dam from stiff buttercream icing when using more pineapple filling than the assembly instructions call for. You can then choose to frost the cake with buttercream icing, as well.
6. Refrigerate cake for about 2 to 4 hours or up to 24 hours in advance to set frosting and filling. Keep refrigerated.
7. Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve the remaining pineapple filling on the side.
