Luscious Coconut Cake Food

COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don't be concerned.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.
• For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).
• To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

INCREDIBLE COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. , Preheat oven to 325°. In another large bowl, beat sugar, butter and oil until well blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. , Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in coconut and extracts.. , Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites., Transfer to 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until smooth. , Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting and sprinkle with 1/3 cup coconut. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake; sprinkle with remaining coconut. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting. Store in the refrigerator.

LUSCIOUS COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Beat together the first seveningredients at medium speed until mixed well.
• Add the extracts and mix well.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in coconut.
• Pour batter into 4 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool pans on a rack 10 minutes before removing.
• Continue to cool on the rack until room temp is reached.
• Coconut Filling: Cook together the sugar, flour, milk, and eggs in a large saucepan over medium low heat, whisking constantly, for 15 minutes.
• You want it thick and bubbly.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in coconut and vanilla-mix well and cool completely.
• (makes 5&1/2 cups) Spread coconut filling between layers.
• Beat whipping cream on high until foamy.
• Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaaks form.
• Spread on top and sides of cake.
• Garnish with toasted coconut flakes.
• OR.
• Coconut Milk Frosting: Beat together the butter, salt, vanilla and almond extract until fluffy.
• Add sugar alternately with coconut milk, beating until smooth.
• Frost cake and garnish with toasted coconut.
• (makes 9 cups).

COCONUT CAKE WITH 7-MINUTE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil 2 (9-inch) cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Oil the parchment paper and then flour the pan. Set aside.
• Place the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
• Combine the coconut milk and coconut cream in small bowl and set aside.
• Place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and using the paddle attachment, cream on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and gradually add the sugar slowly over 1 to 2 minutes. Once all of the sugar has been added, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Turn the mixer back on to medium speed and continue creaming until the mixture noticeably lightens in texture and increases slightly in volume, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the coconut extract.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk mixture to the butter and sugar in 3 batches, ending with the milk mixture. Do not over mix.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the batter, just until combined. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bang the pans on the counter top several times to remove any air and to distribute the batter evenly in the pan. Place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 40 minutes or until the cake is light golden in color and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.
• Cool the cake in the pans for 10 minutes then remove and transfer to a cooling rack. Once the cakes have cooled completely cut across the equator of each to form 4 layers. Place the 1/3 cup coconut water into a small spritz bottle and spray evenly onto the cut side of the 4 layers. If you do not have a spritz bottle you may brush the coconut water on with a silicone pastry brush. Allow to sit while preparing the frosting.
• For the frosting:
• Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium to maintain a steady simmer. In the meantime, place the egg whites, sugar, coconut water, cream of tartar and salt into a medium size-mixing bowl. Place the bowl over the simmering water and immediately begin beating with an electric hand mixer set to low speed. Beat for 1 minute and then increase the speed to high and continue to beat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and beat in the coconut and vanilla extracts for 1 minute. Allow the frosting to sit for 5 minutes before using.
• Place approximately 3/4 cup of the frosting on the first layer of cake, sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut and top with the next layer. Repeat until you reach the top layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake and sprinkle with the remaining coconut. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

ULTIMATE COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread coconut flakes in an even layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden, 5 to 7 minutes; set aside to cool.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level; discard trimmings. Cut each cake into 3 even layers. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan.
• Place one layer on the cake plate. Brush with about one-fifth of the simple syrup. Spread over 2 cups of filling. Place a second layer on top. Repeat process with the next four layers and top with last remaining layer.
• Spread top and sides of cake with frosting, keeping in mind you may not need to use all of it. Press toasted coconut into sides of cake; remove parchment paper strips. Chill cake at least 5 hours and up to 5 days. Slice immediately; bring to room temperature before serving.

OLD-FASHIONED COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Combine all 6 ingredients in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat mixture on low speed until smooth. Increase speed to medium and beat 4 minutes. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Cut around cakes to loosen; turn out onto racks. Cool completely.
• For frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and cream of coconut in large bowl until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread layer with 3/4 cup frosting. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup flaked coconut. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Press remaining flaked coconut over top and sides of cake. Chill cake until frosting is firm, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely and keep chilled until 1 hour before serving.)
• *Cream of coconut is available in the liquor section of most supermarkets.

LUSCIOUS TROPICAL DREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Drain pineapple, reserving 1 cup juice. Prepare cake batter as directed on package, substituting reserved juice for 1 cup of the water. Pour into 15x10x1-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 15 to 18 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
• Beat pudding mix and milk with whisk 2 min. Stir in pineapple; spread over cake. Cover with COOL WHIP; top with coconut and nuts. Keep refrigerated.

MOIST COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
• Cream sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy; scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add egg, coconut flavoring, baking powder, and salt; beat for 1 minute and scrape the bowl. Beat in coconut milk until combined. Stir in flour until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat for 3 minutes.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread until smooth. Drop the pan from 2 inches above the counter a few times to eliminate any large air pockets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the sides of the cake pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool completely, 30 minutes or longer.
• Meanwhile, bring cream to a full boil, watching carefully to prevent scorching. Remove pan from the heat and add white chocolate; stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Place in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Remove chocolate mixture from the refrigerator and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Frost the cooled cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut.