I found this recipe on the Epicurious website and it is the most delicious coconut cake I have every baked. It’s moist and has a whole lot of magic in it because after it’s bake, the cake disappears! I mean, really disappears. Try it for yourself and let me know.
The cake is know as the Awesome Coconut Cake at The Shubox Cafe, Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
Coconut Layer Cake (Bon Appétit | December 1999)
Yield: 10 servings
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour (I used cake flour)
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez)
4 large eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk
Pinch of salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold beaten egg whites into batter.
Divide cake batter between prepared pans. Bank cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. cool cakes in pan on rack 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.
Place 1 cake layer on cake plate. spread 1 cup Cream Cheese Frosting over cake layer. sprinkle 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut over. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. sprinkle remaining coconut over cake, gently pressing into sides to adhere. (Coconut Layer Cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.)
Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 3 1/2 cups
2 (8-ounces) package Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preparation
Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until fluffy. Add butter and beat to blend. Add sugar, sweetened cream of coconut and vanilla extra and beat until well blended.
Source: Epicurious.com