Coconut Chiffon Cake With Double Berry Filling And Vanilla Buttercream Food

THROWDOWN'S TOASTED COCONUT CAKE WITH COCONUT FILLING AND COCONUT BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Spread the coconut evenly onto a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden brown, stirring once, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the coconut sit in the oven until very dry and crunchy, about 15 minutes longer.
• Bring water and sugar to a boil. Stir in the coconut, remove from the heat and let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Strain the liquid into a clean saucepan, bring to a boil and let cook until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Combine the milks and vanilla bean and seeds in a medium nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
• Whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture then return the mixture to the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the rum and vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Combine the custard and cream in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the coconut custard and salt and beat until combined and smooth.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9 by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the milk, egg whites, vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With mixer running at low speed, add the butter, one piece at a time and continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1/2 cup of the milk mixture, increase speed to medium and beat 30 seconds more. Scrape sides of bowl and mix for 20 seconds longer. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pan and smooth the tops using a rubber spatula.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in the pan on baking rack for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the side of the pan and invert cakes onto the baking rack, removing parchment paper, and let cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• Using a long serrated knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Reserve 1 of the flat bottom layers for the top of the cake. Place another layer on a cardboard round cut side up and brush with some of the coconut simple syrup. Spoon 1/3 of the coconut filling onto the cake and using a small offset metal spatula, spread it into an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the cake. Repeat with 2 more layers. Brush the cut side of the reserved cake layer with the remaining syrup. Place the layer cut side down on top of the cake.
• Frost the sides and top of the cake with the buttercream. Pat the coconut onto the sides of the cake and sprinkle the remaining coconut on the top of the cake.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Cream the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer). On low speed, beat in the powdered sugar and then the salt. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 tablespoons milk; adjust the consistency with extra milk as desired. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature and beat on medium-high until smooth.

COCONUT CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt mixing well. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the vegetable oil, egg yolks, water, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until smooth.
• In a large bowl beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Pour the egg yolk mixture gradually over the beaten egg whites and fold until just blended. Fold in the flaked coconut. Pour batter into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 55 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer. Top will spring back when touched lightly. Turn pan upside down until cake is cool before removing from pan. Remove cooled cake from pan and frost if desired.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a saucepan, place the sugar and carefully pour the water around the edge. Using your finger, make an X in the pan to help the water gently mix with the sugar. Bring to a boil and cook to softball stage (235 degrees F.)
• Meanwhile, whip the egg whites in a mixer with a whip attachment until light and fluffy. When sugar is at the softball stage, slowly pour it into the bowl down the side and continue whipping, adding vanilla, until incorporated and then cooled.
• Add the butter 1 cube at a time while whipping until it is a thick butter cream (check flavor and consistency of butter cream before continuing to add butter, as not all of the 2 cups may be needed).
• Keep at room temperature while frosting the cake.

COCONUT CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees; you'll need a 10-inch tube pan with removable core and bottom (not nonstick).
• For cake, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl with mixer on medium until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted.
• Gradually beat in sugar until incorporated.
• Continue to beat on high until stiff, shiny peaks form.
• In second large bowl (no need to wash beaters), beat remaining cake ingredients on medium speed until blended.
• Continue to beat on high until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Add egg whites to top of batter and fold in with rubber spatula until combined.
• Scrape batter into ungreased pan; smooth top and tap pan on counter a few times to settle batter.
• Bake 1 hour or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Invert pan onto its core on countertop and cook cake completely.
• Loosen cake around sides of pan and core with long thin-bladed knife; lift cake from pan sides by the tube.
• Cut away cake from pan bottom and invert onto rack, then immediately reinvert cake right side up on a serving plate.
• Frosting: Fold cream cheese and marshmallow creme together in a medium bowl until blended.
• Spread evenly over cake.
• Cover frosting with coconut, gently pressing to adhere.

COCONUT CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Let egg whites warm to room temperature in large mixing bowl.
• Sift and measure flour; mix with sugar, baking powder and salt into another large bowl. Make well in center.
• Add, in order, oil, egg yolks, water, and the coconut and vanilla extracts; beat with a spoon or on low speed of mixer until smooth.
• Stir in coconut.
• Beat egg whites at high speed with cream of tartar until stiff high peaks form when beater is slowly raised.
• With whisk or rubber spatula, using an under-and-over motion, gently fold egg yolk mixture and flaked coconut into egg whites just to blend.
• Pour into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
• Bake 50 - 60 minutes, or until cake springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
• Invert cake (over long neck bottle); let cool completely-about 1-1/2 hours.
• Carefully loosen cake from pan and remove.
• Serve plain or sprinkle lightly with confectioner's sugar.
• Enjoy!