A Coconut Cake

It has been so long since I made a cake from scratch and when I saw this recipe in Bon Appetite, I knew I had to give it a try.  I made some variations to the original recipe.  One was to add some coconut extract to both the cake and the frosting.  I read some reviews of this recipe and a common complaint was that there wasn't enough coconut flavor.  The other thing I did, just because, was to add a layer of lemon curd in the center of the cake.  You can't go wrong with a little lemon curd.

Another thing I read in the reviews was that this recipe is very similar to an Italian Cream Cake. I've heard my dear friend Warren exclaim about his Italian Cream Cake recipe, but have never tried it. I'll have to ask him if this is similar to his cake extraordinaire.

The cake was delightful and it was served to my lovely mother-in-law for a belated Mother's Day surprise.  


Coconut Cake

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups (loosely packed) sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
5 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites, room temperature

Coconut Frosting
3 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup (about) sweetened flaked coconut

Preparation

Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 11/2-inch- high sides with nonstick spray; line bottom of pans with parchment paper rounds. Mix flour and coconut in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, coconut extract, and baking soda in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks and beat to blend. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another large bowl until peaks form. Add 1/3 of egg white mixture to batter; fold into batter just to blend. Fold in remaining egg white mixture in 2 additions. Divide batter between pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around sides of cake pans. Invert cakes onto racks. Carefully peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.

Frosting
Using electric mixer, beat sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Place second layer, flat side up, atop frosting. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle some of coconut over top of cake; pat more coconut on sides of cake. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.