Story and Recipes by Marcelle Bienvenu | Food Photography by Jim Bathie and Jo Vidrine | Location and Portrait Photography by Jo Vidrine
This Coconut Cake is a timeless classic. Layers of tender white cake are filled with creamy custard, covered in fluffy frosting, and topped with coconut and pecans for a beautiful finish.
Coconut Cake
Makes 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups sugar
- 3½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup softened shortening
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- 4 egg whites, unbeaten
- Cream Filling (recipe follows)
- Fluffy Frosting (recipe follows)
- Garnish: flaked coconut, pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 2 (8-inch) round cake pans (see Note).
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the shortening, ⅔ cup milk, and extract. Beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add remaining ⅓ cup milk and egg whites. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes more, scraping the bowl frequently.
- Pour the batter equally into the 2 prepared pans. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Place one cake layer on a cake plate; spread Cream Filling evenly over top of cake layer. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread Fluffy Frosting on top and sides of cake and sprinkle with coconut and pecans, if desired.
Notes
Note: Cake can be made in a 13x9-inch baking pan, if desired.
Cream Filling
Makes about 1½ cups
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in the milk; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil mixture for 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir about half of the milk mixture into the beaten egg yolk. Gradually add egg yolk mixture to remaining milk mixture in pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cool completely, stirring occasionally.
Fluffy Frosting
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 2 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cover with a lid and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, without stirring. Remove lid and cook until the mixture registers 242° on a candy thermometer.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff enough to hold a point. Add vanilla and beat until combined, about 1 minute.
- With the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly pour hot sugar mixture in a thin stream into the beaten egg whites. Increase speed to high and continue beating until frosting holds stiff peaks. Use immediately.
