Coconut layer cake
In my opinion nothing says festive like cake! Especially during the summer when you may want to celebrate a summer holiday, birthday or a “just because” beach picnic on the weekend with friends.
Fortunately, cake is always for sharing and with a shopping trip with two girlfriends tomorrow and a new friend coming for lunch this Friday, this cake has been baked just in time to go in many happy directions!
This super moist cake can be as plain or decorative as you like. Personally I like fresh coconut, but serving with fresh slices of pineapple would also put this cake over the top!
Coconut layer cake
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup super fine white sugar
1 ½ cup cake flour, if you can’t get cake flour you can use self-rising flour but sift it
2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup coconut milk (best quality)
¾ cup unsalted butter
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Dash cinnamon
½ cup freshly grated coconut
Method
Make sure all ingredients are room temperature before starting this does make a difference.
Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until creamy and well incorporated. Then, one by one add in each egg. Making sure that each egg is incorporated before adding the next. Add vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients (sifting flour if necessary) then slowly incorporate all dry ingredients into the wet, preferably in thirds. Finally, add in coconut milk.
Divide the mixture into two, eight inch round baking pans evenly. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Whipped Coconut Topping
½ cup coconut milk
¼ cup confection sugar
¼ cup cream cheese
Combine all ingredients in bowl and use a hand mixer to whip this up to soft peaks. The mixture won’t be as taut as a butter cream icing but its lovely!
Once the cakes have completely cooled, take half of the topping and apply to the first cake, gently place the second cake layer on top of the first spreading the rest of the topping on the second cake. Work quickly as you need to get this into the fridge to set. Finish with freshly grated coconut. Chill for one half hour before serving. Or, if you’re like me… cut it right away and attack it fork first!