White Coconut Cake

The dessert for the month of November over at Have The Cake is coconut cake....one that I've never tried before.  Sure, I've done the standard Easter Bunny Cake with the dyed coconut, and the German Chocolate cake with the coconut-pecan icing, but never an honest-to-goodness coconut flavored cake, so this is a new thing for me as well.  This challenge is definitely stretching my experience!

I chose Tyler Florence's White Coconut Cake recipe as it looked yummy and utilized rum, which, having an entire bottle of Coconut Rum in the fridge to get rid of, sounded like just the ticket!

I'm a huge fan of coconut rum, especially in Coke.  Nothing better, really.  So off we go after the jump.

First I made a simple syrup with the rum, water, coconut extract and sugar.  Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes before setting it aside to cool for later.

Next, sift cake flour,  baking powder and salt together.  Set aside.

In your mixer beat together butter and sugar.

Beat in eggs one at a time.

Beat in vanilla..

then coconut extract.

Mix in flour mix a bit at a time just until incorporated.

Pour into pans and place into preheated 325 degree oven.

Bake 40-50 minutes (mine was done at 40 so check early!) Let cool completely.

Now for the frosting..And for some reason I forgot to photo this part, so just use your imagination!

Beat butter until fluffy.  Add in powdered sugar a cup at a time.  Add vanilla and coconut extracts and mix just until blended...

To assemble, I cut each cake in half horizontally.  Place one bottom portion down.

Paint with the rum syrup.

Top with buttercream.

Repeat with remaining layers.  Paint the top and sides with the syrup.

Top with more frosting and then sprinkle coconut all over.  Set in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Voila!

White Coconut Cake

Ingredients1/2 cup water

• 1/4 cup light rum
• Splash coconut extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 cups cake flour, plus more for pans
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 2 cups baker's or superfine sugar
• 4 whole eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• Splash coconut extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Coconut Buttercream, recipe follows
• 1 cup sweetened flake coconut (long, lacy flakes)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Make the rum syrup. In a small saucepan heat the water, rum, coconut extract and sugar until the sugar dissolves completely. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat.

Sift together dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Line and grease 2 (9-inch) cake pans with butter then dust lightly with flour.

In a bench-top mixer (with the paddle attachment), cream butter and sugar until pale in color and light and fluffy - about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula then with the mixer on low add eggs 1 at a time. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk, coconut and vanilla extract and mix on low until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, scraping down the sides, if necessary. Once flour is fully incorporated stop the mixer.

Divide batter evenly amongst the 2 cake pans and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. When done, transfer cakes to wire racks and allow to cool completely.

Remove paper lining then carefully cut each cake in half horizontally using a bread knife. Remove the domed top off 1 of the halves so you have 3 flat disks and 1 domed disk (this will be the top layer).

Assemble the cake directly on your platter by layering 1 of the disks on the plate as a base. Using a pastry brush, wet the layer evenly with the rum syrup then spread with a 1/2-inch of coconut cream. Repeat this process of wetting and spreading until you reach the 4th top layer which will be the domed disk. Place on top and lightly wet the entire cake with remaining rum mixture. Cover the rest of the cake with the frosting and sprinkle all over with coconut flakes.

Set in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.

Coconut Buttercream:

• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 pounds (about 8 cups) confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon coconut extract
• 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
• Pinch kosher salt

In a stand mixer fitted with whip attachment, whip the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, until fully incorporated. Add the coconut and vanilla extracts and pinch salt and blend just until incorporated. Refrigerate until needed, but no longer than 20 minutes.