I felt really bad last summer when the followers voted on what my next cake would be and coconut cake lost by one vote. I really wanted to experiment with a couple of recipes. So my daughter, Whitney and her husband, Matt, have birthdays a week apart and requested this cake. (It is not possible to have a birthday in our family and not have a cake, not done, period!)
Several people mentioned that Bobby Flay had a great coconut cake recipe, but I also heard that the cake layers did not rise much. I have had great success with cakes from Caprial's Desserts cookbook, so I decided to make her cake layer recipe and coconut pastry cream filling and Bobby Flay's coconut syrup and coconut buttercream frosting recipe. You can see that there are going to be a lot of steps to this one! Believe me when Isay it is gonna be worth it!!
Because the bday dinner is on Friday night and I am back working I decide to make the layers on Tuesday night and put them in the freezer. This recipe has coconut milk in it. Fantastic for texture and taste! Make sure you buy Thai coconut milk, not the stuff you put in pina colodas. Although that is a good idea to sip a pina coloda while baking this. I could tell the minute I took it from the oven it was going to be perfect for splitting into 4 layers, got to have 4 layers for all the filling.
On Wed I made the coconut cream filling. Make sure you toast the coconut in the oven. Watch carefully! Put plastic wrap on the surface of the filling and refrigerate.
On Thurs I made the coconut syrup and the buttercream. You mix some of the filling into the buttercream frosting and it is soooo good!! I split the layers, brushed them with the syrup, filled and frosted! Fabulous! For decorating, I bought the big pieces of coconut (not flaked) in the bulk aisle at New Seasons, toasted it and pressed it onto the sides and top. You can use the regular, but I think it's prettier on the outside of the cake! We served it with french vanilla ice cream.
I heard comments at the table about how this was their favorite cakequeen concoction so far! Maybe they will comment for themselves! For me, it was worth the work, and I agree, may be the best tasting so far. And, for me to say that about a cake that has no chocolate in it, is a big deal. Recipe coming up.
Our cake was the best cake i have ever had! Light, but dense. Delicious flavor. Thanks mama, for making the best birthday cake!!
ReplyDeleteYour a lucky little lady Whitney...I am going to make this one...nobodies birthday but mine....but I think I"ll wait a few days after, cause my mom is baking my cake for the 23 rd.
ReplyDeleteBut by Oct ! I will be toasting coconut.. Cant wait to try it !!
Thanks cake queen !!!
Hands down the best cake I have ever eaten. Gigi you clearly are a pro. I loved all the layers. The frosting and filling were to die for, and the toasted coconut topped it all off. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteGinger I can not WAIT for you to try this one! And, my dear darlings, I am so happy that you enjoyed it. Matt, it really was YOUR cake, I will have to make Whitney her banana chocolate pie soon, cuz I know she really wants it! Thank you for the raves!! Happy Happy Birthday you two.
ReplyDeleteThis truly is the best. White cake is not usually my favorite, but this cake is so good ! It must be the syrup and the coconut pastry creme that makes it so moist and just yummy !!
ReplyDeleteMom, you say every cake is the best! (thank you) An assortment of flavors coming up for Riley's bday!! And, a Halloween twist too.
ReplyDeleteThank Portlands own little cake Queen once again...I just finished making her coconut layer cake for after dinner tomorrow eve for company. Its a beauty..alittle extra work and time, but so worth it.. you can tell by looking at it, it will be amazing..it has good eye appeal too.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to her next CAKE ADVENTURE...
Can't wait to hear how it tastes! Let me know about how you liked adding the whipped cream to the pastry cream filling. It looks gorgeous and I am sure your guests will be very impressed!
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