This coconut cake recipe is from the
Perfect Party Food cookbook by Diane Phillips. My husband's co-workers were guinea pigs when I first made this to avoid bringing a flop to a family dinner. Now they are addicted guine pigs and I feel like their dealer. They will constantly ask you, "Is it ready yet?" So...you've been warned.
Nancy Kelly's Two-Day Memphis Coconut Cake
Cake ingredients
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¾ cups sugar
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into ½ inch bits
1 cup buttermilk
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Frosting ingredients
3 cups heavy cream
3 seven ounce packages Baker's Angel Flake coconut
2 cups sour cream
2 cups sugar (I use 1 and 1/2 cup.)
4 cups sliced, fresh fruit (berries, pineapple, kiwi or bananas), optional
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat two 9-inch round baking pans with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and sugar, and pulse 4 - 5 times until mixed. Distribute the butter over the flour mixture and pulse until the flour resembles small peas.
3. Pour the buttermilk into a 2-cup measuring cup, add the eggs and vanilla, and beat with a fork to break up the eggs. With the food processor running, add the through the feed tube and process for about 45 seconds. Scrape down the sides, the process again for another 30 to 45 seconds, until blended.
4. Divide the batter equally between the 2 prepared pans. Smooth the tops, without pressing down on the batter. Bake until golden and a skewer or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pans to a rack and let cool for about 10 minutes. Remove from pans, return to rack and let cool completely. Hint: Use either cloth or silicon cake strips to bake evenly. Else you will have to turn both pans several times for even baking.
5. Split each cake layer in half horizontally with a serrated knife or cake cutter. Place strips of waxed or parchment paper around the edge of a serving plate, and center a cake layer on the plate. (I'd also put a good sized towel or paper under the plate because coconut gets everywhere.)
6. With an electric mixer, beat the cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.
7. In another large bowl, combine 2 cups of the coconut, the sour cream, and sugar. Fold in whipped cream. Spread some of the frosting over the cake and repeat the layers, ending with cake. Frost the sides and top with remaining frosting. Sprinkle the cake with remaining coconut and gently press onto sides of cake.
8. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two days.
This step is important. Cake tastes best if, it's "marinated" for at least two days. Garnish with fruit before serving is optional.