Coconut Cream Layer Cake
By Lizzie on July 10, 2018
Hi everyone!! How was your Independence Day holiday? Being a dog owner, I actually love and dread fireworks all at the same time. I know how stressful the sound of them can be on my little Louie, so as much as I love seeing them, we usually spend the evening trying to calm him once they start… 🙁 I cannot believe how fast the summer is flying by, but to tell you the truth…with the weather this beastly hot, I am longing for cooler days already 🙂 What is the weather like where you are?
So, July happens to be one of my favorite person’s birthday…my sweet husband 🙂 Each and every day I feel so fortunate to be married to someone who loves, supports and encourages me like he does. Michael is my number one taste tester and the person who I know will be the most honest with me when I have created something that just isn’t that great 🙂 When I asked him what kind of birthday cake he wanted this year, he had to think about it for a long time because he loves so many of the cakes I make! After many days of contemplating cakes, Michael decided that he wanted me to make a coconut cake for his special day…. And, here lies the conundrum 🙂 I am not a coconut fan. I actually enjoy the flavor of coconut, just not the texture of the shredded coconut. I love pina coladas, so that must mean something 🙂 I decided to create a moist and tender cake made with lots of real coconut milk, which is naturally sweet and delicious. It also made sense to not add flaked coconut to the middle of the cake so I could share that part with him 🙂 I added the coconut milk to a luscious buttercream, along with a bit of coconut extract, and the result is seriously sublime… I think this recipe may actually have converted me 🙂 The cake is so moist that it will last several days under a cake dome. You can certainly cut individual pieces and wrap them in wax paper and foil if you need to freeze any. There was none leftover here, so that tells you something 🙂 I hope you love this cake as much as everyone here did 🙂
Delicious ingredients make for the best outcome 🙂
This batter is seriously yummy!
Grease and flour your pans. Then, line with parchment paper.
The layers bake up a beautiful golden brown.
The buttercream is so smooth and creamy!
I used a lot of buttercream in between the layers. Who doesn’t love lots of buttercream? 🙂
Spread it out evenly with an offset spatula. This will be one of your most important tools in making cakes.
Place your other cooled layer over the top of the buttercream.
Frost the cake completely before pressing the flaked coconut all over!!
How beautiful is this cake? 🙂
This cake tastes as good as it looks 🙂
Look at how much yummy frosting is in the middle ?
I have the cutest serving platter that I can write on with erasable marker to show what’s being served 🙂
Let’s blow out the candles and CUT THE CAKE 🙂
Yes…I am now a coconut cake lover….well, this coconut cake anyway 🙂
Coconut Cream Layer Cake
Serves: 12 to 16 Prep time: 30 minutes Bake time: 22 to 25 minutes
Ingredients
Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups Dixie Crystals granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup real coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon real coconut extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fresh baking powder
2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Coconut buttercream
2 cups unsalted, softened butter
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon real coconut extract
7 cups Dixie Crystals Confectioners Sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1, 14 ounce bag of sweetened, flaked coconut
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2, 9 inch cake pans. Line with parchment paper and set aside.
In your mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy…about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs in one at a time. Add in the coconut extract, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
Alternate adding the coconut milk and the flour until they are both incorporated. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
Spread the batter evenly between both pans.
Bake for between 22 and 26 minutes. You can tell if the cakes are done by their golden brown color, and by touching the tops and seeing if the cake springs back.
Remove the pans from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before inverting them.
Place the layers in the fridge while you make the buttercream.
Make the buttercream:
In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter, coconut extract, coconut milk and salt until combined.
Slowly add in the Dixie Crystals Confectioners Sugar one cup at a time.
Beat the buttercream until it is smooth and creamy.
Take the cake layers out of the fridge and fill and frost the cake. Use a generous amount between the layers so you have a nice thick layer of buttercream.
Immediately after you frost the cake, press the sweetened coconut directly onto the cake. ( I did this over the sink because it’s super messy ) 🙂 I used a lot of coconut, but still had some leftover in the bag. You can use as much as you like, but you want to cover all the buttercream.
Start on the sides, going around the cake slowly, then sprinkle the coconut on top of the cake.
Gently press the coconut into the cake so it sticks.
Keep under a cake dome until ready to serve.
Enjoy this amazingly delicious cake 🙂
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