Many years ago, I saw a glorious coconut cake on the cover of a magazine. My several attempts at making it were a miserable mess. There just didn’t seem to be enough cake batter to make this six layer cake, so I gave up.
Then I saw Ina Garten make coconut cupcakes and pulled the recipe on-line. I used her cake batter recipe with two big changes: cake flour instead of all purpose flour, and buttermilk instead of whole milk. The result was a sky high cake with a moist and tender crumb. I also substituted this family recipe for Pastry Cream Filling, and used real whipped cream and coconut for the frosting.
Fabulous, a little awkward at the last minute, and messy to cut. Never a piece left though.
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Coconut Cupcakes
Two 9x2”cake pans, plus one 6” cake pan (potentially, two 10x2” cake pans)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
3 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
7 oz sweetened coconut
Let cool on racks for about 10 minutes in the pans, then remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely on racks. (May be wrapped in plastic, then foil and stored for 2 weeks in the freezer.)
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 Tbs unsalted butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp pure almond extract
4 oz sweetened shredded cococut
Let cool in a glass or metal bowl, then cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours. I usually make this the day before I am going to assemble the cake.
1 pint heavy whipping cream, cold
1 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
Add the vanilla, and the sugar and beat until very stiff peaks form.