Coconut Cake

Growing up in Mexico my family used to take vacations to Puerto Vallarta couple of times a year.  My favorite and most memorable memories of going to the beach was playing in the sand and drinking fresh coconut water. After, we would have the coconut cut in half sprinkled with a little chili sauce and some lime drops... oh, soo good!!! Anyway, my love for coconut is huge!!! This recipe is very time consuming, but if your love for coconut is as huge as mine you will make this. If not, I have a shorter version of another coconut cake you can try, see below.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• Vegetable oil, for cake pan
• 14 1/4 ounces cake flour, plus extra for pans, approximately 3 cups ***see note***
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup fresh coconut milk or canned
• 1/2 cup fresh coconut cream or canned
• 8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature ***see note***
• 16 ounces sugar, approximately 2 1/4 cups
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 4 egg whites
• 1/3 cup coconut water

For the 7-Minute Frosting:

• 3 large egg whites
• 12 ounces sugar, approximately 1 3/4 cups ***see note***
• 1/3 cup coconut water or milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Grated coconut from 1 coconut, approximately 8 to 10 ounces

Directions

***NOTE***  if you have a scale use it to measure flour and sugar instead of using measuring cups

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 30-40 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.

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 or milk, 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.

Recipe by Alton Brown

Coconut cake from a box

1 yellow cake mix (preferably Betty Crocker's)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. lemon flavoring
1 tsp. rum flavoring

Follow cake box directions just adding all the extracts and flavorings.  Do follow and make the 7 minute Frosting though it will be well worth it.