Mile-High Homemade Coconut Cake

Step 1

To create 2 round 8-inch cakes: Trace the shape of two circular 8-inch pans onto two sheets of parchment paper and cut them out. Butter the bottoms and sides of the pans, then place one parchment circle into each, pressing it down into the greased bottom of the pan. Grease the top of the parchment paper, then sprinkle in a few tablespoons of flour. Tap the flour around in the pans to coat the bottom and sides. Tap out and discard excess flour. Set pans aside. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Stir flour, salt and baking powder together. Sift and set aside. Add ¼ cup of milk to egg whites. Whisk together and set aside. Whip butter in a medium-sized bowl using a hand mixer until light and fluffy. With mixer running, slowly add in sugar, bit by bit. Add in vanilla and coconut extracts. Add dry mix in small amounts, mixing until incorporated. Add the egg white mixture and beat for 2 minutes. Add the remaining milk and mix for an additional 3 minutes to create a smooth batter. Divide batter between the two prepared pans. Transfer to oven and bake for 35 minutes, rotating the pans at the halfway mark. Cakes are done when the tops are golden and a cake tester comes away clean. Transfer cakes in pans to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before inverting the pans and removing the cakes. Discard parchment paper. Cool cakes completely. Toast the coconut flakes: Spread coconut flakes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer to 325°F oven and toast for about 10-15 minutes or until flakes are golden and toasted. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Prepare the coconut custard: Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the cream and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Heat this mixture and just before it comes to a boil, whisk in the cornstarch. Cook until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded coconut. Then stir in the the coconut extract and transfer to a bowl. Cover with storage wrap and cool completely. Prepare the Seven-Minute Frosting: Place a medium-sized stainless steel bowl over a pot containing about 1-inch of simmering water. Add the sugar, salt and water and stir to dissolve. Add the egg whites and whisk to combine. Whisk continuously until the mixture warms and becomes frothy. Exchange whisk for hand mixer. Beat mixture on high for 6 minutes until very light and fluffy and the frosting holds stiff peaks. Remove from heat and beat for an additional minute to cool the frosting. Assemble the cake: Place cake layers side-by-side on a flat surface. Run a sharp knife horizontally through each cake, dividing each into equal layers, four in total. Place 5 or 6 dollops of the frosting into a storage bag and snip off one corner to create a piping bag. Set aside. Take a cake plate, placing onto a Lazy Susan, if you have one. Invert the top half of one of the cakes onto the centre of the cake plate. Cut strips of parchment paper and gently lift the edges of the cake, sliding the strips underneath to protect the plate from icing. Repeat until the four strips of parchment are placed in a square shape to cover the cake plate. Using the piping bag, run a thin line of frosting along the outer edge of the cake. Add three or four dollops of the custard onto the centre. Using an icing palette, spread the custard out into an even layer across the surface until it just meets the icing dam. Invert the bottom half of the cake on top and repeat this same process on the second and third layers. After adding the final layer of cake on top, add a generous dollop of the frosting, smoothing it out across the top of the cake. Frost the sides of the cake, distributing it evenly to cover. To apply the toasted coconut: sprinkle coconut flakes on a small section of the side of the cake, then gently press with a piece of parchment paper so that the flakes stick to the frosting. Repeat in small sections until the sides of the cake are covered. Sprinkle the top of the cake with more coconut flakes. Add additional flakes to any open spots until it’s evenly distributed. Gently pull parchment strips away from underneath the cake, removing excess frosting and flakes in the process. Brush away any stray flakes and remove frosting smears with a slightly damp towel. Slice and serve the cake within a few hours. Cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for two days. Refrigerate any remaining cake after the second day.

Step 2

To create 2 round 8-inch cakes: Trace the shape of two circular 8-inch pans onto two sheets of parchment paper and cut them out. Butter the bottoms and sides of the pans, then place one parchment circle into each, pressing it down into the greased bottom of the pan. Grease the top of the parchment paper, then sprinkle in a few tablespoons of flour. Tap the flour around in the pans to coat the bottom and sides. Tap out and discard excess flour. Set pans aside. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Stir flour, salt and baking powder together. Sift and set aside. Add ¼ cup of milk to egg whites. Whisk together and set aside. Whip butter in a medium-sized bowl using a hand mixer until light and fluffy. With mixer running, slowly add in sugar, bit by bit. Add in vanilla and coconut extracts. Add dry mix in small amounts, mixing until incorporated. Add the egg white mixture and beat for 2 minutes. Add the remaining milk and mix for an additional 3 minutes to create a smooth batter. Divide batter between the two prepared pans. Transfer to oven and bake for 35 minutes, rotating the pans at the halfway mark. Cakes are done when the tops are golden and a cake tester comes away clean. Transfer cakes in pans to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before inverting the pans and removing the cakes. Discard parchment paper. Cool cakes completely. Toast the coconut flakes: Spread coconut flakes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer to 325°F oven and toast for about 10-15 minutes or until flakes are golden and toasted. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Prepare the coconut custard: Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the cream and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Heat this mixture and just before it comes to a boil, whisk in the cornstarch. Cook until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded coconut. Then stir in the the coconut extract and transfer to a bowl. Cover with storage wrap and cool completely. Prepare the Seven-Minute Frosting: Place a medium-sized stainless steel bowl over a pot containing about 1-inch of simmering water. Add the sugar, salt and water and stir to dissolve. Add the egg whites and whisk to combine. Whisk continuously until the mixture warms and becomes frothy. Exchange whisk for hand mixer. Beat mixture on high for 6 minutes until very light and fluffy and the frosting holds stiff peaks. Remove from heat and beat for an additional minute to cool the frosting. Assemble the cake: Place cake layers side-by-side on a flat surface. Run a sharp knife horizontally through each cake, dividing each into equal layers, four in total. Place 5 or 6 dollops of the frosting into a storage bag and snip off one corner to create a piping bag. Set aside. Take a cake plate, placing onto a Lazy Susan, if you have one. Invert the top half of one of the cakes onto the centre of the cake plate. Cut strips of parchment paper and gently lift the edges of the cake, sliding the strips underneath to protect the plate from icing. Repeat until the four strips of parchment are placed in a square shape to cover the cake plate. Using the piping bag, run a thin line of frosting along the outer edge of the cake. Add three or four dollops of the custard onto the centre. Using an icing palette, spread the custard out into an even layer across the surface until it just meets the icing dam. Invert the bottom half of the cake on top and repeat this same process on the second and third layers. After adding the final layer of cake on top, add a generous dollop of the frosting, smoothing it out across the top of the cake. Frost the sides of the cake, distributing it evenly to cover. To apply the toasted coconut: sprinkle coconut flakes on a small section of the side of the cake, then gently press with a piece of parchment paper so that the flakes stick to the frosting. Repeat in small sections until the sides of the cake are covered. Sprinkle the top of the cake with more coconut flakes. Add additional flakes to any open spots until it’s evenly distributed. Gently pull parchment strips away from underneath the cake, removing excess frosting and flakes in the process. Brush away any stray flakes and remove frosting smears with a slightly damp towel. Slice and serve the cake within a few hours. Cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for two days. Refrigerate any remaining cake after the second day.