Old Fashioned Coconut Cake
This is the real deal. It's complex and not for the faint of heart. It's worth doing. Moist, light, and full of coconut flavor. If you're looking for a classic old fashioned coconut cake this is it. | www.lakesidetable.com
Ingredients
- 5 eggs separated
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cake flour
- 1/3 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar divided
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Coconut Soak
- 2/3 cup coconut milk
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
Coconut Filling
- 3 cups shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3 8 oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
- 6 oz butter room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
Optional Topping
- 3 cups shredded coconut unsweetened
Equipment
- large bowl and whisk
- sifter
- stand mixer
- saucepan and whisk
Instructions
Cake
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Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease and flour an 8 inch springform pan. Whisk egg yolks, water, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.
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Sift cake flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder and salt on top of wet ingredients and mix in.
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Beat egg whites on medium-low speed with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk. Gradually increase speed to medium, then medium high.
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When the volume has increased by about four times, slowly add in 2/3 cup sugar at the side of the bowl. Continue to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
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Fold into batter.
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Pour batter into the prepared springform pan and bake 20 minutes.
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Rotate pan and continue baking 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean.
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Remove from the oven and cool completely in pan.
Coconut Soak
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Combine the coconut milk, water, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
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Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Coconut Filling
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Beat coconut, sour cream, and vanilla with a mixer
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Place sugar and flour in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
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Whisk milk in slowly to avoid lumps and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
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Once thickened, add to the coconut mixture and beat on low speed until slightly cool. Set aside.
Cream Cheese Frosting
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Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer or stand mixer until lump free.
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Beat in vanilla then slowly beat in powdered sugar until fluffy. Set aside.
Assemble Cake
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Remove the cooled cake from the springform pan and cut it in half horizontally.
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Place the bottom half back into the springform pan, cut-side up. Pour half of the coconut soak over the bottom layer and let it sit until the cake has fully absorbed the liquid. The cake will be very wet.
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Evenly cover the base layer with the coconut filling.
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Place the next layer on top with the cut-side up, and pour with the remaining liquid over it.
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Refrigerate overnight.
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Remove the cake from the springform pan and invert it onto a cake plate or cake stand. Cover the cake with cream cheese frosting.
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(Optional) Press small amounts of the unsweetened shredded coconut around the top and sides.
Recipe Notes
There are a lot of steps and this takes a little while but it's well worth it. Most of the time is waiting for things to cool and waiting for the cake to fully absorb the coconut soak. Take your time and you'll be rewarded!
Variation: In the last step of the assembly, toast the unsweetened coconut before pressing it into the cream cheese frosting.