Toasted Coconut Chocolate Cake Food

TOASTED COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch cake pans, then fit each with a parchment round. Butter and flour the parchment.
• Separate the eggs into whites and yolks. Set the yolks aside. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, then set aside until ready to use.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the granulated sugar, butter and coconut oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer or with a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks, coconut cream and vanilla and beat until just combined. Alternate adding the buttermilk and flour mixture to the butter mixture, being careful not to overmix. Gently fold in the beaten whites until completely incorporated, but keeping the volume!
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Let cool for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the coconut cream cheese frosting: Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the coconut extract and salt, then slowly start to add the powdered sugar, beating it in a little at a time. Beat until all the sugar is combined and the frosting is stiff but still light and fluffy. Add more sugar if it is too loose, or a little milk if it is too thick. Set aside at room temperature until you are ready to decorate.
• If the cakes have domed at all, shave down any uneven parts to make the tops of the cakes flat and smooth.
• Spread 1 tablespoon frosting on a cake plate or stand; this will help keep the cake in place while you decorate. Place one cake cut-side up on the plate. Dollop about 1 cup frosting on top of the cake and spread it in an even layer using a spatula, knife or spoon. Place the second cake on top of the first. Add another 2 cups frosting to the top of the cake and smooth it over the top and down the sides. Repeat with any remaining frosting until the outside of the cake is frosted and smooth. Using your hands, press the toasted coconut into the sides of the cake and sprinkle it on the top, so that the entire cake is covered in toasted coconut.
• Slice and serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

BEST COCONUT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, water and cocoa. Cook and stir until butter is melted; add to dry ingredients. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; add to chocolate mixture and mix well. , Pour into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. , Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine 1 cup evaporated milk, 3/4 cup sugar and marshmallows; cook and stir until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat; stir in coconut. Immediately sprinkle 1 cup almonds over cake. Spread coconut mixture over top. Sprinkle with remaining almonds (pan will be full). , In a small saucepan, combine butter with remaining milk and sugar. Cook and stir until butter is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Drizzle over almonds. Cool on a wire rack.

COCONUT-CHOCOLATE ICEBOX CAKE WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Place the cans of coconut milk in the coldest spot in your refrigerator upside-down and leave them there for 24 hours. This will allow the coconut cream in the milk to solidify and separate from the liquid.
• Line a 9-by-5-by-3-in [23-by-12-by-7.5-cm] loaf pan with plastic wrap that hangs slightly over the sides of the pan.
• Flip the cans of coconut milk right-side up, open the cans, and, using a rubber spatula, carefully scrape the solid coconut cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Save the liquid for another purpose. Add the almond extract and confectioners' sugar, and whisk on medium speed until smooth and thick. Add the heavy cream and whisk on medium-high speed until the cream holds stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Add the toasted coconut and fold it into the cream with a rubber spatula.
• Using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread a thin layer of the whipped cream on the bottom of the lined pan. Cover as much of the cream as possible with a layer of wafers, filling any gaps with broken wafers, to create a solid layer of wafers.
• Continue layering whipped cream and wafers until you run out or reach the top of the pan, ending with a layer of wafers. Gently cover the surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 to 8 hours, or preferably overnight. If you have whipped cream left over, store this in the refrigerator along with the cake.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator prior to serving and peel off the plastic wrap. Place a serving plate over the pan and invert the cake onto the plate. Carefully remove the pan and plastic wrap lining and, if using, thinly spread the remaining whipped cream over the sides and top of the cake. Re-whip the cream if it looks too soft to spread. Sprinkle the cake with the toasted almonds, lightly pressing them into the cake.
• Using a serrated knife, cut the cake into slices and serve. The cake will keep, lightly wrapped with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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.