Ultimate Coconut Cake II
"This recipe is courtesy of Robert Carter from the Peninsula Grill, in Charleston, South Carolina, via SC Tourism web site. Seems different from others posted on Zaar. Directions are involved - read through & practice "mise en place" to avoid going nuts. A 6 layer coconut cake - Southern Heaven on a plate!"
photo by Jeremiah Comer
- Ready In:
- 2hrs
- Ingredients:
- 23
- Yields:
-
1 6 layer cake
ingredients
- 453.59 g unsalted butter (preferably European-style)
- 709.77 ml sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 1064.65 ml all-purpose flour
- 22.18 ml baking powder
- 2.46 ml salt
- 354.88 ml heavy cream
- 22.18 ml pure vanilla extract
- 4.92 ml coconut extract
-
Simple Syrup
- 177.44 ml water
- 177.44 ml sugar
-
Coconut Cake Frosting
- 236.59 ml unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 226.79 g cream cheese
- 4.92 ml pure vanilla extract
- 1182.95 ml confectioners' sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped
-
Coconut Filling
- 1182.95 ml heavy cream
- 709.77 ml sugar
- 453.59 g unsalted butter
- 59.14 ml cornstarch
- 4.92 ml pure vanilla extract
- 2129.31 ml shredded sweetened coconut
-
To Assemble
- 473.18 ml shredded sweetened flaked coconut
directions
-
Coconut Cakes:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray two 10-inch round cake pans with baking spray; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5 to 6 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until creamy, occasionally scraping down sides of the bowl using a spatula.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, mix together cream, vanilla, and coconut extract. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture, alternating with cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour; beat until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before removing cakes from pans.
-
Simple Syrup:
- Place water and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
-
Coconut Cake Frosting:
- Place butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until creamy.
- With mixer on low speed, slowly add vanilla extract, seeds from vanilla bean, and confectioners' sugar. Continue beating until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
-
Coconut Filling:
- Place cream, sugar, and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together cornstarch, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water. Add to cream mixture, bring to a boil, and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute.
- Place coconut in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coconut is finely chopped. Remove cream mixture from heat and stir in coconut until well combined. Transfer to a large baking dish; let cool.
- Cover filling with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Just before using, place mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until smooth and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes.
-
To assemble:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread coconut flakes in an even layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden, 5 to 7 minutes; set aside to cool.
- Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level; discard trimmings. Cut each cake into 3 even layers. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan.
- Place one layer on the cake plate. Brush with about one-fifth of the simple syrup. Spread over 2 cups of filling. Place a second layer on top. Repeat process with the next four layers and top with last remaining layer.
- Spread top and sides of cake with frosting, keeping in mind you may not need to use all of it. Press toasted coconut into sides of cake; remove parchment paper strips. Chill cake at least 5 hours and up to 5 days. Slice immediately; bring to room temperature before serving.
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Reviews
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This is the definitive coconut cake: a memorably delicious, extravagantly rich dessert. It was a huge hit at the party. Be sure to follow the recipe's advice to chill the cake completely before cutting, or it won't stand up to the pressure of the knife. Also do allow it to come up to room temperature before serving so the texture and flavor are as they should be. -
I made this for Mother's Day. This took patience to make and was well worth it! The assembly was a lot easier than I thought. I followed the directions exactly and was at first worried about the filling not firming up, but to my relief the air incorporated from the mixer firmed it up into a nice white filling as promised. The cake was so impressive that we all took several pictures before cutting into the cake, and even more after to show off the twelve layers. -
can you make this into a sheet cake, it will be sitting out for a while at a baby shower, no time to chill before cutting -
This cake was quite a project but everyone raved about it. Two corrections: In making the filling, you'll need to use a large saucepan; not medium, as stated. Also for the filling, I believe the water quantity is incorrect. If you use 1T as stated and you'll end up with a bunch of hard pieces that won't dissolve. Typically, you need to make a paste (or thinner) of cornstarch before adding, right? Also, I might freeze the layers to make slicing lengthwise easier. This makes a truly impressive (and huge) cake!
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I've been to the pinnacle grill a few times, so I am looking forward to attempting this recipe and comparing it to the original :-)
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Busters friend
Pleasure Island, 73
<p>First about Buster: Buster moved onto whatever comes next on February 26, 2008. He was just shy of five years old. I miss him terribly. <br />He came into our lives when he ran out in front of my car late one night as I was driving home. A just under 4 pound ball of kitten fluff, complete with an ostrich boa tail that stayed straight up as he assessed his new domain. He became a 19 pound longhaired beast who guarded our house (he followed any new guests or servicepeople the entire time they are on the property) & even killed copperheads (among other things with his hunting buddy, Fergus the short-tailed)! Friends never saw his formidible side as he smiled at them & uttered the most incongruent kitten-like mews as he threaded legs! He liked to ride in the car & came to the beach. <br />There are Buster-approved recipes in my offerings - however, HE decided which he wanted to consider - Buster demonstrated he liked pumpkin anything - ALOT -LOL!!! <br /> <br />Copperhead count 2006 - Buster 2 <br /> (10 inchers w/yellow tails) <br /> 2007 - Buster & Roxie 1 <br /> (a 24 incher!) <br />Buster woken from beauty sleep - <br />http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/62264/DSCN0335.JPG <br />Big whiskers - <br />http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/62264/DSCN0333.JPG <br /> <br />For those of you who gave kind condolences - thank you so very much. <br />http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=250301 <br /> <br /> <br />I love to cook & incorporate techniques from Southern/Mid Atlantic roots (grits, eastern NC BBQ shoulders, Brunswick stew, steamed crabs & shrimp & shellfish, hushpuppies, cornbread, greens, shad roe, scrapple) with Pacific Rim foods & techniques aquired while living in Pacific Northwest, fish & game recipes learned while living in Rocky Mountain region & foods/techniques learned travelling to the Big Island & up into BC & Alberta & into the Caribbean. The Middle Eastern/African likes I have are remnants of my parents who lived for many years in North Africa & Mediterranean before I was thought of. Makes for wide open cooking! <br /> <br />Since moving back east we try to go annually in the deep winter to Montreal (Old Montreal auberges & La Reine) & Quebec City (Winter Carnival & Chateau Frontenac)- for unctuous foie gras & real cheeses, French & Canadian meals prepared & served exquisitely, fantastic music & wonderful people - with the cold helping burn off some of the calories! <br /> <br />I love putting in our aluminum jonboat & heading across the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to the barrier islands for foraging & exploring! Bodysurfing is a lifelong sport for me - one that a person's body never seems to forget how to do, once the knack is learned (thank goodness!) <br /> <br />I especially miss cool summers & foggy/drizzly days & fall mushroom foraging/anytime of year hot springing in WA, OR, MT, ID, BC & Alberta.</p>
