OLD FASHIONED COCONUT CAKE RECIPE
- 3 cups flour (1/2 all-purpose, 1/2 cake flour)
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 lg egg whites
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 TBL natural coconut flavor (if you can’t find this in your local store,
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened but not melted
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
How to Make It
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch cake pans. (Lining with parchment can make removing the cakes easier, but I never have a problem in this dry climate.
- Whisk the egg whites, milk and coconut flavoring until just frothy. Set aside.
- In a mixer bowl, add the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix with a whisk. Add the butter and coconut milk and mix on low with a paddle attachment just until moistened, then beat on medium for two minutes.
- Add the egg white mixture in a few additions, mixing just until incorporated.
- Pour the thick batter into the prepared pans. I use a small postal scale to weigh them out so that I divide it evenly. Bake for 36 to 40 minutes, then test with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. Add two minutes more if it comes out wet.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on a rack.
- While the cakes are cooling, use the warm oven to toast your coconut. Simply sprinkle the coconut on a cookie sheet in a thin layer and set it in the oven at 350 F for about two minutes. Stir the flakes and watch them for another two minutes or so. When they’ve toasted to golden, remove and cool.
Coconut Icing and Filling
- Icing the entire cake in cream cheese frosting or buttercream would make for a really heavy cake. Most coconut cake recipes call for dividing the cake into four layers, and using a simple whipped cream filling, while icing the outside with buttercream. I’ve done a mix of both.
Icing
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp natural coconut flavor
Filling
- 1 cup of the icing from above
- 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
- Cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add the coconut flavor. Then add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. I cover my mixer with a very light tea towel to avoid sugar powder spreading all over the kitchen! Once it’s smooth, add a tablespoon of the coconut milk or regular milk to achieve a spreadable consistency (I didn’t have to add any).
- For the filling, simply whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream until medium peaks form, then gently blend in 1 cup of the cream cheese icing.
- I divided my cake layers into four pieces, using a cake leveler. I used the whipped cream between each layer, then iced the outside of the cake with the cream cheese frosting. Lastly, I sprinkled the toasted coconut, using my palm to “bounce” the flakes onto the sides of the cake.
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