Coconut layer cake

I made this lovely cake for my husbands birthday a few weeks ago. He loves coconut so when I found this recipe it was perfect!

This cake looks so pretty and is easier to make than you might think. It is infused with coconut inside and out. Coconut milk and coconut cream in the cake layers, and toasted coconut in between the layers and the outside of course. This cake is slightly less sweet than most American cakes tend to be. Just perfect in my opinion. It can be made in advance 1-2 days. In fact it seemed to get better over time. Several days after I made it it was still moist and delicious. Store in refrigerator, but bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. This is definitely a new cake favorite!

Ingredients:
Cake:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (leveled) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, separated, plus 3 more egg whites
1 1/2 cups cream of coconut
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons dark rum
7 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted or untoasted (for filling)
2 cups flaked coconut, toasted (for sides)

Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 blocks cream cheese (1lb/454 grams), at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
7 cups powdered sugar
2 3/4 cups unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray. Cover bottoms with parchment rounds. Spray parchment and dust lightly with flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high until smooth and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add 3 egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Lower speed and gradually add flour mixture. Batter will be thick and pasty. 

Whisk together cream of coconut, coconut milk, rum and orange juice. Alternately add shredded coconut and orange juice mixture to the batter. In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, whip 6 egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold into batter.  Divide batter evenly (I go by cupfuls) among prepared pans.

Bake cakes 45-60 minutes, until slightly browning. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool in pans on wire rack. Unmold when completely cooled. Wrap in plastic for later use (2-3 days) or proceed with frosting.

Make the frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla extract. With mixer on low speed, gradually add confectioners sugar, scraping down sides of bowl a few times. Mix until combined and fluffy. Spread 1/4 -inch thick layer of frosting on top of the first layer of cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Place next layer on top and repeat with frosting and coconut. Repeat with the final layer, spreading frosting on top and sides of cake. Pat toasted coconut around the sides of cake.

Serves 8-10


(Original recipe by Melissa Clark, New York Times)