Southern Coconut Cake

Name: Southern Coconut Cake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 145 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature; unsalted butter for greasing; 5 cup all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder; 2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 1/2 cup canned coconut cream or coconut milk; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; 1 tbsp almond extract; 1 tbsp coconut extract; 3 cup sugar; 7 large eggs at room temperature; 2 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes; 20 oz cream cheese at room temperature; 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature; 7 cup confectioners' sugar; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; 1 tbsp coconut extract; 1 1/2 tsp almond extract; 2 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes toasted, for decorating

Cuisine:American

Course:Dessert

45m prep 40m cook 2h ready

A rich and moist coconut cake with cream cheese frosting, layered with coconut-almond frosting and covered in toasted coconut flakes.

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

5 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup canned coconut cream or coconut milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp almond extract
1 tbsp coconut extract
3 cup sugar
2 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes
7 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coconut extract
1 1/2 tsp almond extract

Prepare

2 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
unsalted butter, for greasing
7 large eggs, at room temperature
20 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes, toasted, for decorating

Let's Cook

Step 1.

Thoroughly butter three 9-inch cake pans, making sure to coat the sides, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and set the pans aside. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Step 2.

In a large bowl, sift together 5 cups all-purpose flour, 1½ tablespoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda. In a small bowl, combine 1½ cups canned coconut cream or coconut milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon almond extract, and 1 tablespoon coconut extract.
Step 3.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 2¼ cups (4½ sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature) and 3 cups sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add 7 large eggs (at room temperature) one at a time, scraping down the bowl after every two eggs. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour mixture and the coconut cream mixture in alternating batches, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing just until combined. Mix in 2¼ cups (7 ounces) sweetened coconut flakes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans, smoothing the tops.
Step 4.

Bake until the cake springs back when you touch the center with your finger and is pulling away from the sides of the pan just a bit, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Let the cakes cool in the pans until you can touch the pans comfortably, about 15 minutes, then flip the cakes out onto the lined baking sheets to cool completely before frosting.
Step 5.

While the cakes cool, make the frosting. In the clean bowl of the stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat 20 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature) and 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature) until no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Add 7 cups confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon coconut extract, and 1½ teaspoons almond extract, and blend until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Step 6.

Once the cakes are completely cool, place one layer on a serving plate. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly on top. Repeat with the second and third layers, then frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate the top and sides of the cake with 2¼ cups (7 ounces) toasted sweetened coconut flakes, pressing gently to adhere.
Step 7.

Note: To toast the coconut, spread the flakes on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F until golden brown, about 10 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes. Let the coconut cool completely before decorating the cake.