Cathys Easy Coconut Cake Food

COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.
• Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the egg whites until combined, then add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and coconut extract. Beat until combined. Mixture will look curdled as a result of the varying textures and solid butter combining. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and coconut milk. Beat on low speed until combined, then add the shredded coconut. Whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no butter lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
• Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Weigh them to ensure accuracy, if desired. Bake for around 21-23 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
• In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, coconut milk, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin, more coconut milk if frosting is too thick, or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
• Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with the third cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I use and recommend an icing spatula to apply the frosting and bench scraper to smooth the sides. Sprinkle coconut on top of the cake and apply it to the sides. This can get a little messy and you can watch me do it in the video tutorial above. See blog post above about buttercream rose decoration.
• Refrigerate cake for at least 20 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting, though it's still a pretty fluffy cake!
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

THE BEST COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and cream of coconut in a small bowl. Beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, until combined.
• Beat the egg whites and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with clean beaters on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter in three batches until just combined (do not overmix). Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cakes are lightly browned and the centers spring back when lightly pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 20 minutes in the pans, then run a small knife around the edges of each cake and carefully invert onto the racks; remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in about half of the confectioners' sugar until combined. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar, salt and vanilla and coconut extracts and beat until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Place one cake layer on a cake stand or platter and top with a heaping 2/3 cup frosting. Add another cake layer, more frosting and the last cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the coconut all over the top and sides of the cake, gently pressing to adhere.

CATHY'S EASY COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 Mix together cake mix, egg whites, water and oil. Pour into 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 35 minutes.
• 2. Once cake is done set it out to cool completely.
• 3. Pour your whipping cream, sugar and butter flavor into a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until stif peaks appear.
• 4. Once cake is completely cooled frost with your whipped topping and generously top that with fresh coconut. Pat it down so it adheres to the whipped cream. Remember you have to keep this in the fridge since it's made with cream!
• 5. You could add some cute colorful Peeps for Easter!

COCONUT LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a 900g loaf tin and line with baking paper.
• Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, coconut, eggs and milk and mix to a soft dropping consistency.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with a palette knife. Bake for 30 mins.
• Remove the cake from the oven and sprinkle with the extra coconut. Return the cake to the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 mins, until well risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool slightly in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

CATHY'S VERSION OF BROOKLYN DINER COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans. Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• In a separate large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time. Gradually beat in the flour mixture in several additions, alternating with the coconut milk, and stir in the almond and vanilla extracts. Divide the batter between the 3 prepared cake pans.
• Bake the cakes in the preheated oven until they are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. A wooden toothpick inserted into the center of each cake should come out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out the cakes to finish cooling completely on wire racks.