Coconut Cake

I saw this cake a few days ago on Velva's blog, Tomatoes on the Vine, and knew I would be making it soon.  

This is a Thomas Keller recipe.  If you know who he is, I tip my hat to you.  I realize that not knowing who he is makes me some sort of culinary dim-wit.  I'm more acquainted with Chef-Boyardee, or the Jolly Green Giant.  But this Thomas guy certainly knows his cake!

There are a lot of steps to this recipe, but it's really not that complicated.  Just don't leave out the salt...sheesh!  It was still good even though I did forget. 

One of the steps involved dropping the warm cake face first onto the cooling rack...

...fortunately it stayed together!

Here's the recipe for you...make it if you get a chance.  It's delish!

Printer Friendly Recipe 

Ingredients:

One 15-ounce can coconut milk (not "lite")

1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup egg whites, at room temperature (from about 6 large eggs)

2 cups granulated sugar

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks; 6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

Meringue (recipe below)

Directions:

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and whisk to blend.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the milk has reduced to 1 cup.

Meanwhile prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl and set a small metal bowl on top.

Pour the coconut milk into the small bowl.  Once the milk is cool, remove from the ice bath and stir in the vanilla.

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F.  Butter two 9-inch round cake pans.  Line with parchment paper, butter the parchment, and coat with flour, tapping out the excess.

Sift the cake flour and baking powder together into a bowl.  Stir in the salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the whites on medium speed, until they begin to froth.  With the mixer running, slowly add 3/4 cup of the sugar, then increase the speed to medium-high and continue to whip until medium peaks form.

Remove from the mixer.  (if you have only one bowl, transfer the whites to another bowl and wash out the mixer bowl.)  Switch to the paddle attachment.

Put the butter in the mixer bowl and beat on medium-low to medium speed to soften, about 1 minute.  Scrape down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, add the remaining 1-1/4 cups sugar, and mix on medium speed until light and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.  3-4 minutes.

From this point, it is important not to over mix the batter.  Each addition does not have to be completely incorporated before you add the next; there may be some visible streaks remaining.  Add half the dry ingredients to the butter and mix on medium-low to medium speed.  Add half of the coconut milk and mix.  Add half of the remaining dry mixture, then the remaining milk and finally the remaining dry mixture.  Remove the bowl from the mixer.  Scrape down the sides and the bottom to incorporate any ingredients that may have settled in the bottom of the bowl, and mix with the spatula so there are no longer any streaks.

Top the batter with one-third of the whites and fold in gently.  Gently fold in another third of the whites and finally the remaining whites.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans and gently smooth the tops.  Bake until a cake tester or wooden skewer comes out clean, 26 to 28 minutes.  Let the layers cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes, then turn out of the pans and let cool completely.  

Meanwhile, spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast lightly in the oven, 6 to 8 minutes.  Transfer to a small bowl and let cool completely.

Lay strips of parchment paper around the edges of a cake stand or serving plate to catch any excess frosting or coconut when you decorate the cake.  Position one of the cake layers in the center.  Spread a 1/3-inch-thick layer of meringue evenly over the cake layer.  Sprinkle a light layer of the coconut over the meringue.  Top with the second cake layer.  Spread the remaining meringue evenly over the sides and top of the cake.  Sprinkle the remaining coconut on the sides and the top.  Pull away and discard the pieces of parchment paper.  This cake is best served the day it is made.

Recipe for Meringue:

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons plus teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine 1- 1/4 cups of the sugar and the water in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat to 220F., stirring at first to dissolve the sugar.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium speed until they begin to look foamy, then gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar.  Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until the whites form soft peaks.

With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar syrup, pouring it down the side of the bowl to avoid the whisk.  Add the vanilla, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form and the bowl is cool.

*Just a note:  if you refrigerate this for very long, it makes the edges a bit tough.  But still yummy.