Awesome Coconut Cake

 

At Shubox Cafe, this dessert is known as Awesome Coconut Cake, aptly named by one of the cafe's best customers. To make this recipe, you'll need one 15-ounce can of sweetened cream of coconut.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1 3/4 cups Sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted Butter, room temperature

1 cup canned sweetened Cream of Coconut (such as Coco López)*

4 large Eggs, separated

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 cup Buttermilk

Pinch of Salt

Sweetened Shredded Coconut

*Canned sweetened cream of coconut is available in the liquor section of most supermarkets nationwide.  It will need to be stirred in a separate bowl before using.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in a large bowl until stiff but not dry.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.

Fold beaten egg whites into batter.

Divide cake batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread 1 cup Cream Cheese Frosting over cake layer. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle  coconut over cake, gently pressing into sides to adhere.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

4 oz extra virgin coconut oil

1 pound powdered sugar

1/3 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco López)*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Beat cream cheese, butter and coconut oil in medium bowl until fluffy. Add sugar, sweetened cream of coconut and vanilla extract and beat until well blended.

From: http://www.epicurious.com