Follow us on:

SUGAR & STILETTOS RECIPES
Nanci Christopher
September 23, 2009

COCONUT CREAM CAKE
with
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
From Nancie McDermott’s
SOUTHERN CAKES
and THE MAGNOLIA BAKERY COOKBOOK

Ingredients:

CAKE:

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups heavy cream or whipping cream*

COCONUT CREAM FROSTING:

1 ½ cups cold heavy cream or whipping cream*
3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
About 3 cups coconut, either freshly grated or sweetened shredded coconut

*I always use heavy cream.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
8 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

TO MAKE THE CAKE:

PREHEAT THE OVEN to 350F degrees.

GREASE two 9-inch pans, line the bottoms with waxed paper or kitchen parchment, and then dust with flour.

IN A MEDIUM BOWL, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a fork to mix well.

IN A SMALL BOWL, combine the eggs and vanilla, and beat well with a fork until frothy.

IN A LARGE BOWL, beat the cream with a mixer at high speed until it thickens and swells to form stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. ADD the egg-vanilla mixture and beat at medium speed until just blended. ADD the flour mixture and use a spatula or a large spoon to fold it in gently, just until the flour disappears.

QUICKLY TRANSFER the batter to the prepared pans, and BAKE at 350F degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until the layers are golden, spring back when touched lightly in the center, and begin to pull away from the sides of the pans.

COOL in the pans on wire racks or folded kitchen towels for 10 minutes. The turn out the cakes onto wire racks and cool completely, top side up.

TO MAKE THE COCONUT-CREAM FROSTING:

IN A LARGE BOWL, beat the cream with a mixer at high speed until it swells into thick clouds and holds a soft peak when you lift up the beaters.

SPRINKLE on the confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating, scraping the bowl often, until the cream is thick and very firm, but still velvety smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. ICE the cake at once, or cover the bowl and chill it until it’s time to complete the cake.

TO MAKE THE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

PLACE THE BUTTER in a large mixing bowl. ADD 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and the vanilla extract. BEAT until smooth and creamy.

GRADUALLY ADD the remaining sugar, one cup at a time, until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (you may well not need all of the sugar).

**Icing can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:

PLACE one layer of the cake on a cake stand or serving plate. COVER the cake layer generously with about one third of the frosting you have chosen.

SPRINKLE about one third of the coconut over it, and place the second layer on top. ICE the sides and top of the cake. PRESS the remaining coconut gently onto the frosting. REFRIGERATE until shortly before serving (for the cream frosting) and do the same for the buttercream frosting but allow about an hour for the cake to come to room temperature before serving.

Back to Recipe List