6-Inch Coconut Layer Cake
A scratch coconut cake made with cream of coconut. You can use Coco Real or Coco Lopez.
Servings 8
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs (105 grams)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (160 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cream of coconut Coco Lopez or Coco Real
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190 grams)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup sweetened shredded coconut or angel flake type
Cream Cheese Icing
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sweetened shredded or angel flake lightly toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Thoroughly grease and flour two 6-inch round cake pans.
- Crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Put the whites in metal mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg yolks and the vanilla, then beat in the cream of coconut.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture and the milk to the batter alternately, stirring by hand just until flour is incorporated. Stir in the coconut.
- Fold in the beaten egg whites.
- Pour the batter into the pans. Set pans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on center rack for about 40 minutes or until cakes appears set and springs back when touched. Let cool completely on a rack.
- Split each cake into two layers, then frost and stack to make a 4 layer cake.
Frosting -- You'll Have A Lot!
- To make the frosting, beat the cream until stiff peaks form and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar. Beat in the vanilla, then fold in the whipped cream.
Notes
To toast the coconut, lay it on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes or until the edges of the coconut are brown (the coconut in the center should still be white). Toss it all together (toasted edges and less toasted center).
Optional Mango Passion Fruit Sauce: Puree 6 oz (one heaping cup) of frozen mango chunks with about 4 oz (½ cup) of mango nectar. Chill and serve with the cake.