About 20 years ago my life as I knew it changed: My childhood friend, Karin, whom I have known since we were 10, so a damn long time, lol, brought me to a bakery near my town called Three Tarts. It's this casual lunch place with the best food and cookies and cakes and breads. Really special things. She bought a piece of their Coconut Cake and I thought it was ethereal. I am not even a coconut lover, but WOW. It was like eating a cloud. I have yet to taste anything quite like it -- until now. This recipe, adapted from "Bakery by Nature," evokes similar feelings I had that day - pure euphoria. I added pineapple to the coconut cream cheese frosting, as well as topping it off with little pieces on top. The tartness of the pineapple is the perfect counterbalance to the sweetness of the coconut.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (310 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (13 grams) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon (4 grams) salt
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (298 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 6 large egg whites, lightly beaten until foamy on top
- 1 cup (227 grams) canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) unrefined coconut oil, liquified
- 1 cup (54 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
- 3 tablespoons canned coconut milk
- 4 and 1/2 cups (510 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup raspberry preserves
- 2 cups (108 grams) shredded coconut, for decorating
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees before you begin baking! This way your oven has plenty of time to come to temperature.
- Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature! This means the egg whites, butter, and sour cream.
- Properly prepare your cake pans! You’ll want to generously spray the tops and sides with nonstick baking spray, and line the bottom with a parchment paper round. This ensures you won’t have to battle to get your cakes out of the pans.
- You’ll need a stand mixer or electric hand mixer for this recipe!
- Beat the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy! This takes about 3 minutes, so be patient. And use a rubber spatula to scrape the butter mixture off the sides and bottom of the bowl every 30 seconds or so.
- Don’t over mix once you add in the flour mixture! This is what causes dry cake! Instead, beat on low, and mix until the ingredients are just combined!
- Scrape your batter in the prepared pans and bake for about 20 minutes! If you’re only making two layers, then your cakes could take anywhere between 28 and 30 minutes. It’s ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans, on a cooling rack, for 20 minutes, then remove and cool completely before frosting!
- If your frosting seems too thin, add a little more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. But ONLY do this is necessary, because it will make your frosting very sweet.
