Coconut Layer Cake
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- Yield Makes three 6-inch layers
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
- 2 cups sifted cake flour, not self-rising, plus more for pans
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Coconut Cream Filling
- 11 ounces (about 3 3/4 cups) sweetened angel-flake coconut
- Seven-Minute Frosting
Directions
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Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange two racks in the center of the oven. Line the bottom of three 6-by-2-inch buttered round cake pans with parchment paper. Dust the bottom and the sides of the cake pans with flour, and tap out any excess. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set the bowl aside.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-low speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar, and keep beating until the mixture is fluffy and light in color, about 3 minutes. Gradually drizzle in egg yolks, beating on medium-low speed between each addition until the batter is no longer slick. Beat until the mixture is fluffy again, about another 3 minutes.
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Alternate adding flour mixture and sour cream to the batter, a little of each at a time, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in vanilla. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans in the oven, if needed, for even browning. Transfer cake pans to wire racks to cool, about 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, and let cool completely on racks, tops up.
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To assemble, remove parchment paper from the bottoms of cakes. Split each layer in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Set aside the prettiest dome; it will be used for the final layer. Place another domed layer, dome side down, on the serving platter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of flaked coconut over the cake. Spread a generous 1/2 cup coconut-cream filling over coconut flakes. Repeat sprinkling and spreading process on the remaining layers until all but the reserved domed layer are used. Top cake with the reserved domed layer. Transfer cake to the refrigerator to firm for 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator, and frost the outside of cake with seven-minute frosting. Sprinkle remaining coconut flakes all over cake while frosting is soft; do not refrigerate. Cake can be left out at room temperature for several days.
Cook's Note
Sweetened angel-flake coconut is available in grocery stores. You can bake the batter in two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, but the layers will be slightly thinner (place a baking sheet on the bottom rack in the oven to catch any spills).
This is not so much a review as a query. What do you use to measure the quantity of sour cream; a measuring cup for solids or for liquids? Thanks.
This is the best cake I have. EVER. Had!! It's not that I'm a coconut lover in particular; in fact, I don't care for it a great deal in terms of candy and most desserts. This cake is just THAT good! The cake itself is rich, but not overly so--really delicious. The creamy filling adds to all that yumminess perfectly, and it makes for such a moist cake. What I really like is that it is the PERFECT balance of sweetness. The cake and filling are sweet, but not overly so. My favorite cake ever!
I've made this cake several times and it great - but does anyone else have a problem with the batter being too thick. It doesn't pour into a pan. I was just wondering if I am off on my measuring on the flour or what.
So I have recently picked up baking as a hobby. This will be my first time baking a coconut cake! My problem is I don't have any sticks of butter in the house and we are currently in a winter storm here in Oklahoma. What would be the probable outcome if I attempted it with margarine instead? Or is it not worth the risk?
WOW! What a wonderful time in the kitchen... 4 hrs making this one but it was for my son's birthday so it was a gift and a huge hit with everyone. I used 4 - 9"pans - it gave me 4 thin layers. The cream filling was amazing. And the 7 minute frosting was so good - my first time making it and it was a lot of fun. I double the receipe since i had so many leftover eggswhites which allowed me to really mond on the white frosting - it was beautiful! THanks Martha!!
Here is a website for pan size conversion:
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/Baking Pans!opendocument
Here is a website for pan size conversion:
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/Baking Pans!opendocument
I used 2-9 in pans. Turned out pretty well. The layers are quite thin, but great anyway. The filling is GREAT....definitely recommend this!
I made this today for my Mom's birthday and though it was hard work, it was GREAT! The best cake I have ever made. I went out and purchased three 6x2 cake pans and I cannot wait to bake more multi-level cakes. They look beautiful when you take the first piece out! :)
I made this cake for a birthday and it turned out great! I had leftover filling, which was not a big deal, but it was very good. I think I did refrigerate it, tho....I thought because of the filling. iEiher way, it was very delicious!
I'm thinking the cake could be left out for several hours rather than several days!?
oh my goodness--this is the longest recipe I've ever seen in my life!! It will be a miracle if I can bake this cake!
oh my goodness--this is the longest recipe I've ever seen in my life!! It will be a miracle if I can bake this cake!
What is the cake flour???
I actually use two 9 inch pans and it works fine, you juts have to be careful when splitting them with a knife because they are thin, and you only need to bake them 20 mins.
Did the question about using 2-8" cake pans get answered?
This is a favorite. I love coconut cake. Thank goodness I have my mother's six-
inch cake pans.
Dolly
Who has 6-inch cake pans? Not me! Does the recipe work as well for, say, two 8-inch pans?
This cake is a winner! It has become an expected tradition at all family gatherings.
WOW! My husband and mom are coconut cake fans and they loved this one! I too toast the coconut that goes on top of the cake!
You will need to manage your time with this great cake. I usually take a couple of days to make sure I do this cake right. Make the cake and filling one day and assemble and frost the next. I toast the coconut that finishes the cake. Also, just for fun sometimes color the coconut with food coloring and then toast. YUM! Everyone loves this cake well worth the time.