Easter Coconut Cake

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Easter Coconut Cake
A coconut custard cake all dressed for Easter. I purchased the cute Easter sprinkles at a local cake decorating shop.

I made one mistake on this cake; when making the white chocolate drip I was rushed for time and simply melted the candy melts instead of making a ganache. This was a mistake since just white chocolate or candy melts on their own do not make a pretty drip. The prettiest drips are made with a ganache that is cooled to room temperature to make the perfect drip.

The bunnies around the cake are piped with a #22 tip. The 8 bunny tails on top are rounds of frosting covered with coconut. I used 3 drops of sky-blue food color for the outside of the cake.
Recipe type: Dessert | Butter Layer Cake
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Three 8" Round Layers Pan Prep: Greased and Floured Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Small amount of vegetable shortening and flour for preparing pans
Cake Batter:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Coconut Custard:
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk (preferably whole milk) Tip: use leftover coconut milk from cake batter for part of the measurement.
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
American Buttercream:
  • See American Buttercream recipe. Tip: I made 2½ recipes of buttercream to ensure there was enough frosting for the cake and decorations.
  • Blue food Coloring. Tip: I used sky blue
  • Easter Sprinkles
White Chocolate Ganache Drip: (optional)
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips, or white chocolate bar chopped into small pieces, or white candy melts
  • ⅓ cup whipping (heavy) cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 8-inch round layer cake pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour.
Cake Batter:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, stir the coconut milk, vanilla extract and almond extract together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale-yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the coconut milk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and coconut milk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended. Remove bowl from the mixer and gently fold the coconut into the batter.
  6. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place pans on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pans and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Coconut Custard:
  1. In a medium size heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, flour, milk, and eggs. Cook, whisking constantly with a wire whisk until mixture is bubbly and thick, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in coconut and vanilla. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Tip: Coconut custard can be made the day before and refrigerated until ready to use.
American Buttercream:
  1. Prepare American Buttercream. Place about 3 cups of buttercream in a separate bowl and tint blue. Tip: I used 3 drops of sky-blue food coloring. Leave the remaining buttercream white.
Assembly:
  1. Using a long-serrated kitchen knife, split each cake into 2 horizontal layers.
  2. Place about 2 cups of white American Buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a coupler. Tip: you won’t need a decorating tip. If using a disposable pastry bag, you could also just cut a small tip off the end instead of using a coupler.
White Chocolate Ganache Drip:
  1. Prepare the ganache topping while the cake is refrigerating.
  2. Place the white chocolate chips or white chocolate bar pieces, or candy melts in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
  3. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium low heat, heat the cream until it is hot and just beginning to steam and bubble around the edges. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let mixture stand 5 to 10 minutes then gently stir with a rubber spatula or whisk until the chocolate is completely melted, the chocolate and cream is completely combined, and the mixture is smooth. Let sit until cooled to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir gently occasionally while cooling. Tip: Stirring helps cool the ganache evenly, but you want to stir slowly and gently to avoid adding air bubbles. The ganache needs to be thick and just barely fluid to create drips.
  4. Use a kitchen spoon to place small spoonful’s of ganache around the top edge of the chilled cake and let the ganache drip down the sides of the cake. Tip: if the ganache isn’t dripping, then briefly warm the ganache so it is more fluid. If the ganache is just dripping off to the bottom of the cake, then the ganache is too warm and needs to be cooled before using.
  5. When the drips are completed, spoon additional ganache in the center of the cake to fill-in the top, smooth and spread evenly with a small offset spatula.
  6. Place one of the bottom halves of the cake layers on a cake plate.
  7. Using the buttercream in the pastry bag pipe a border of buttercream around the outside top edge of the layer to hold the filling in. Then spread ¾ cup of coconut custard filling inside the buttercream border. Repeat with the next four layers.
  8. Place the last cake layer on top, upside down so the flat bottom of the cake is facing up to make a nice flat top.
  9. Crumb coat the cake by covering the sides with a thin layer of blue or white buttercream; smooth with an offset spatula, removing excess buttercream.
  10. Refrigerate the cake until the crumb coat is firm, about 30 minutes.
  11. Frost the sides of the cake with blue buttercream, and spreading a thick layer of blue buttercream, about ¼ inch thick over the top of the cake, and smooth the top. This top layer of buttercream will give the ganache topping a nice flat surface to drip from.
  12. Gently press sprinkles into the bottom sides of the cake.
  13. Refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, at least 30 minutes. Tip: A chilled cake helps control the ganache drips from going all the way down to the bottom of the cake.
Decoration (optional):
  1. If desired, use leftover white buttercream to pipe bunny ears and head around the sides of the cake. Tip: I used a #22 decorating tip.
  2. Spoon mounds of buttercream on top for bunny tails, and sprinkle the mounds with shredded coconut. Tip: you can make the bunny tails in advance, place mounds of buttercream on parchment paper and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

  3. Easter Coconut Cake

 

Tres Leches Cake

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Tres Leches Cake
This Tres Leches cake is so light it practically melts in your mouth. The subtle flavors of coconut, cinnamon and rum make this a cake of pure indulgence. Finish with a thick layer of sweetened whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

Tres Leches Cake gets its name from a mixture of three kinds of milk, typically evaporated, condensed, and whole milk or cream which is then poured over a baked sponge cake. A sponge cake acts just like its name implies, it soaks up that heavenly milk mixture beautifully.
Recipe type: Dessert | Sponge Cake | Milk Cake
Serves: 15 to 20 servings
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: one 9x13x2 inch oblong pan Pan Prep: Greased, Parchment Lined, Floured Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Small amount of vegetable shortening and flour plus parchment paper for preparing pan
Cake Batter:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup milk (preferably whole milk,) room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
Soaking Milk:
  • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
  • 1¼ cups sweetened cream of coconut, such as Coco Lopez (not coconut milk)
  • 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
  • 1 tablespoon rum
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Topping:
  • 2 cups whipping (heavy) cream
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Garnish:
  • About 1½ tablespoons confectioners’ (powdered sugar)
  • About ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 9x13x2 inch oblong cake pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening and dust with flour. Tip: to make baked cake easier to remove from pan, lightly grease the pan, line with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper and dust the pan with flour.
Cake Batter:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, stir the milk and vanilla extract together. Set aside. Tip: To warm the milk to room temperature heat in the microwave 15 to 20 seconds.
  3. Separate 4 of the eggs, placing the egg whites in a medium mixing bowl. Place the 4 egg yolks along with the remaining 2 whole eggs in a large bowl of an electric mixer.
  4. Beat the egg whites to stiff moist peaks (do not overbeat.) Set aside. Tip: a copper bowl and wire whisk are ideal for beating egg whites. Or, beat with an electric mixer.
  5. Beat the egg yolks and whole eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes to blend, add the sugar and beat another minute to blend the eggs and sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 5 to 8 minutes or until the mixture is very thick and drops in ribbons when the beater is lifted. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
  6. Using a balloon type whisk or large rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
  7. Place the flour mixture into a wire mesh strainer or flour sifter and sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time over the egg mixture. Using a balloon type whisk or large rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the eggs, using about 3 to 4 turns with each addition of flour, and making sure to reach to the bottom of the bowl as you fold. Do not worry about incorporating all the flour until the last addition, as too much handling will deflate the batter. The flour should be added quickly in about 4 to 5 additions.
  8. Before the last addition of flour, quickly pour the warm milk mixture in a stream over the batter. Immediately sprinkle in the remaining flour mixture, and fold into the batter taking about 12 to 15 more turns to completely incorporate the ingredients, and taking no more than 15 to 20 seconds as the batter can deflate quickly.
  9. Using a rubber spatula, immediately push the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top of the batter with a small offset spatula or the back of a large spoon.
  10. Bake: Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles, and place the pan in the oven. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the cake is golden brown, springy to the touch, and has come away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the oven and let stand 15 minutes on a wire cooling rack.
Soaking Milk:
  1. Meanwhile while cake is cooling, prepare the soaking milk.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl combine evaporated milk, cream of coconut, whipping cream, rum, and vanilla; stir to mix. Tip: a large liquid measuring cup with a pouring spout is ideal to use for the soaking milk.
  3. Poke holes all over top of cake with a wooden toothpick or skewer or fork, penetrating to the bottom of the cake. Tip: the more holes the better to allow the soaking milk to penetrate the cake all over. Try to get holes at least ½ inch apart and making sure and poke holes around the cake edges also.
  4. Slowly drizzle about half of sauce over cake, making sure to get all around the edges. let liquid mostly soak in then add the remaining soaking milk. Let cake sit about 30 minutes to completely cool and allow soaking milk to soak in. Cover cake tightly and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
Topping:
  1. For best results chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until well chilled before whipping the cream.
  2. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream until just until the cream starts forming soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar and vanilla, and continue beating just until stiff peaks begin to form. Do not overbeat.
  3. Spread whipped cream over top of chilled cake. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

    Tres Leches Cake
Garnish:
  1. In a small bowl combine powdered sugar and cinnamon, stir to mix.
  2. Pour mixture into a fine mesh sieve or flour sifter and lightly dust the topping with the cinnamon mixture.

 

Red Velvet Cake

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Red Velvet Cake
What is it about Red Velvet Cake that causes oohs and aahs from many people? Perhaps it is the rich ruby-red color, or the striking combination of red layers and white icing. But most likely it is the irresistibly scrumptious flavor is this old fashioned cake with a subtle chocolate flavor.

The popular legend of how Red Velvet originated is sometime around the 1950’s a woman asked for the recipe for the delicious red velvet cake she was served at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. This was the hotel’s signature cake, and the hotel billed the woman $100 or more for the recipe. Upset over the charge, she passed the recipe along to everyone she knew.

Many Red Velvet Cake recipes today use a cream cheese frosting, which is undeniably delicious. But Instead, I have chosen a rich Flour Buttercream with perfectly complements the light chocolaty flavor and moistness of the cake. Flour Buttercream is also thought to have been used with the original Red Velvet Cake. The coconut garnish adds an extra sweet crunch along with a stunning white elegance. Serve this cake as a special weekend treat, or as the centerpiece to your holiday dessert table.
Recipe type: Dessert | Butter Layer Cake
Serves: 10 to 12
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two 9" Round Layers Pan Prep: Greased, and Floured Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Batter:
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) liquid red food coloring
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
Flour Buttercream:
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Topping (optional):
  • About 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 9 inch round layer cake pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. Tip: to make baked cake easier to remove from pan, lightly grease the pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper and dust the pan with flour.
Tip: Use cake strips around the pans to help ensure the cake rises evenly. Make a cake strip with a length of aluminum foil long enough to encircle the pan with a little overlap. Fold the strip lengthwise until it is 2 to 3 inches wide. Wrap the strip around the outside of the pan and secure it with a metal paper clip or tape.
Batter:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, stir the buttermilk, vanilla, liquid red food coloring, and vinegar together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed. Tip: For each egg, crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the egg before adding to the creamed mixture. Start with the mixer on low speed so the liquid from the egg doesn’t splatter, once the egg is partially mixed increase the speed to medium. Each egg should be fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next egg, taking about one minute to blend in each egg.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the buttermilk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended.
  6. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Place pans on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pans and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Flour Buttercream:
  1. In a medium heavy saucepan, add the flour, and using a wire whisk, slowly whisk in the milk, whisking until the sauce is smooth and free of lumps. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Boil and whisk for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool to room temperature, or a tepid temperature. While cooling, whisk frequently to keep the sauce smooth. Tip: If the sauce is too warm when added to the creamed butter mixture it will melt the butter. If the sauce is too cold it will not blend smoothly.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the butter and sugar when the sauce is almost cooled to the right temperature. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Gradually add the cooled sauce, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, beating about 20 seconds between each addition. Add the vanilla and continue to beat for another 1 to 2 minutes to thoroughly blend and the frosting is somewhat fluffy.
  4. The frosting should be used immediately, or refrigerate until needed.
Assembly:
  1. Using a long serrated kitchen knife, split each cake into 2 horizontal layers. Red-Velvet-CakeReserve any crumbs that occur from slicing to sprinkle on top of the frosted cake, if desired. Tip: Cut one of the cake layers so that the bottom half is thicker than the top half, and use the thicker bottom half as the 1st layer to provide a good base to support the upper layers.
  2. Place the thicker bottom half of the layers on a cake plate. Using an offset spatula spread about 1 cup frosting over the layer. Repeat with the next two layers. Place the last cake layer on top. Cover the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Spread the frosting as smooth as possible over the top and sides.
Topping (optional):
  1. Gently press coconut around the sides of the cake. Sprinkle the top of the cake with cake crumbs, if desired.

Coconut Cupcakes

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Coconut Cupcakes
For coconut lovers everywhere, these wonderful cakes have lots of coconut flavor in every bite. With ground sweetened coconut and coconut milk in the cake, frosting spiked with coconut extract, and finished with a sprinkling of sweetened coconut.
Recipe type: Dessert | Cupcakes | Butter Cakes
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Standard 12-Cup Muffin Pans Pan Prep: Paper Liners Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 22 Cupcakes Storage: Covered, Room Temperature or Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips, Buttercream Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Batter:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
  • 1 cup coconut milk, unsweetened
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg whites
Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/16 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ teaspoons coconut extract
Topping:
  • 1 to 1½ cups shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two standard 12-cup muffin pans; line with paper cupcake liners.
Batter:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. In a food processor or small grinder, pulse the coconut until finely ground; whisk into the flour mixture. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, stir the coconut milk and vanilla extract together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, then add the egg whites, beating until thoroughly mixed. Tip: For each egg, crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the egg before adding to the creamed mixture. Start with the mixer on low speed so the liquid from the egg doesn’t splatter, once the egg is partially mixed increase the speed to medium. Each egg should be fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next egg, taking about one minute to blend in each egg.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the coconut milk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and coconut milk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended.
  6. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners. Fill about ⅔ full, using about ¼ cup of batter per cup. Tip: Avoid over-filling the liners which may cause the batter to run-over the sides when baking. It is better to bake any remaining batter separately after the first pan of cupcakes has finished baking.
  7. Bake: Bake, rotating pan halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cakes are just firm and spring back when gently pressed, and a toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly in cupcake pan, and turn out of pan when cool enough to handle. Repeat process with any remaining batter. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer combine egg whites, sugar, and salt; place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Using a wire whisk, whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is hot, about 3 to 5 minutes. Tip: the mixture should reach about 130 degrees using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature, or feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips. Remove from heat.
  2. Attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium high speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until the mixture forms a thick fluffy meringue and is cool. Tip: Touch the meringue and make sure it has cooled to room temperature. Also the outside of the bowl should feel cool to the touch.
  3. Stop the mixer, remove the whisk and attach the paddle. With the mixer on medium speed add the butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time and mixing 20 to 30 seconds after each addition. While adding the butter, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add the coconut extract and continue beating until the Buttercream is thick and smooth, about another 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Use a small offset spatula to frost the top of each cupcake, or use a pastry bag and ribbon decorating tip to pipe the frosting.
Topping:
  1. Sprinkle each frosted cupcake with coconut.

Easter Cupcakes

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Easter Cupcakes
Blue tinted American Buttercream provides a fun contrast to the green tinted coconut grass topping these classic vanilla cupcakes. Nestle a few colorful Easter candies in the grass for an easy to make Easter treat.
Recipe type: Dessert | Cupcakes | Butter Cakes
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: 12-Cup Muffin Pan Pan Prep: Paper Liners Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 12 Cupcakes Storage: Covered, Room Temperature

Help: Cake Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Batter:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
American Buttercream:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk or half and half cream
  • Blue Food coloring
Coconut Grass:
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
  • Green and yellow food coloring
Topping:
  • Small colored Easter Candies, such as jelly beans, M&Ms, or malted eggs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one standard 12-cup muffin pan; line with paper cupcake liners.
Batter:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, stir the milk and vanilla together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed. Tip: For each egg, crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the egg before adding to the creamed mixture. Start with the mixer on low speed so the liquid from the egg doesn’t splatter, once the egg is partially mixed increase the speed to medium. Each egg should be fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next egg, taking about one minute to blend in each egg.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the milk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and milk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended.
  6. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners. Fill about ⅔ full, using about ¼ cup of batter per cup. Tip: Avoid over-filling the liners which may cause the batter to run-over the sides when baking. It is better to bake any remaining batter separately after the first pan of cupcakes has finished baking.
  7. Bake: Bake, rotating pan halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cakes are just firm and spring back when gently pressed, and a toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly in cupcake pan, and turn out of pan when cool enough to handle. Repeat process with any remaining batter. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting.
American Buttercream:
  1. In a medium bowl and using an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon beat the butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk or half and half cream; beat until frosting is smooth and creamy. Add additional milk if necessary to make a good spreading consistency. Tint the frosting with blue food coloring.
Coconut Grass:
  1. Place coconut in a plastic ziplock bag
  2. If using liquid food coloring, add just 1 or 2 drops of each color. Use a little more green than yellow to make a pretty grass color. If using paste color, dip the end of a toothpick in the paste to get just a very small amount of color on the end of the toothpick. Swirl the toothpick around in the coconut. Tip: Use very small amounts of food coloring to start and to produce pastel colors. The more color you use the darker and more vibrant the coconut becomes. Food coloring is so concentrated that usually just a drop is enough to achieve the desired color.
  3. Close the bag, removing as much air as possible. Shake and knead the bag to evenly disperse the color. Tip: It may take a few minutes to make sure all of the color is evenly distributed. If you see little clumps of concentrated color left, continue kneading the bag to disperse the color.
  4. Assembly and Topping: Use a small offset spatula to frost the top of each cupcake. Press a small amount of coconut grass on top of the frosting. Nestle the small colored Easter candies on top of the grass.

Tropical Carrot Cake

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Tropical Carrot Cake
Pineapple and coconut add extra flavor and moistness to this tropical version of traditional carrot cake. For variation, try stirring a little coconut or pineapple into the cream cheese frosting to enhance the tropical flair.
Recipe type: Dessert | Oil Cake
Serves: 10 to 12
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two 9 inch round layers or one 13x9x2 inch oblong Pan Prep: Greased and Floured Oven Temp: 350o Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, accurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Batter:
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1¼ cups vegetable oil
  • 2 cups grated raw carrots
  • 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2½ cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 9-inch round layer cake pans or one 9x13x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. Tip: to make baked cake easier to remove from pan, lightly grease the pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper and dust the pan with flour.
Batter:
  1. Plump the raisins by steaming in a colander in a double boiler; steam the raisins about 1 minute or until softened. Thoroughly drain, or spread the raisins on paper toweling to dry. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Place the fruit in a steamer or plastic or wire mesh colander on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs; beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer still on medium-high speed, slowly add the sugar to the eggs, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking 3 to 4 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the eggs and sugar are fully incorporated, and the mixture looks light in color and thickened. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add the vanilla and then beat for 1 minute longer.
  4. Reduce mixer speed to medium, slowly pour the oil into the batter in a slow steady stream, and then beat for 1 minute longer.
  5. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low, and blend in the flour mixture all at once, mixing just until incorporated.
  6. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a balloon type whisk or large rubber spatula, fold in the drained raisins, carrots, drained pineapple, coconut, and nuts.
  7. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Place baking pans on wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. If using round cake pans, remove cake from pans and place directly on wire racks to finish cooling. If using 13x9 inch pan you can leave the cake in the baking pan to finish cooling and cut into squares to serve.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla; use an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is smooth. Add powdered sugar; beat until frosting is smooth and creamy. Use an offset spatula to spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.
  2. Cover frosted cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerate Leftovers.

Lane Cake

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Lane Cake
Thank you, Emma Rylander Lane, for creating and sharing this wonderfully delicious, and elegant cake. The recipe for Lane Cake was first printed in Lane's cookbook Some Good Things to Eat, which she self-published in 1898. Lane cake is mentioned several times in Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning American classic To Kill a Mockingbird.

My version is a 6-layer masterpiece. Following tradition, this recipe is made with a white cake using a large amount of egg whites. Each layer is topped with a generous portion of a cooked egg yolk based filling loaded with pecans, raisins, coconut, and of course a heavy dose of bourbon. A thick layer of Seven Minute Frosting adds the final embellishment.

Lane Cake is truly a celebration and holiday cake; it takes a bit of time and planning, however the results are extra scrumptious.

From the Encyclopedia of Alabama:
The original Lane Cake recipe states that the cake should be baked in medium pie tins lined on the bottom with ungreased brown paper, rather than in cake pans. She specified "one wine-glass of good whiskey or brandy" for the filling and that the raisins be "seeded and finely clipped." She also insisted that the icing be tested with a clean spoon. In Lane's time, the cake would have been baked in a wood stove. Lane also suggested that the cake is best if made a day or so in advance of serving, presumably to allow the flavors to meld.

In Alabama, and throughout the South, the presentation of an elegant, scratch-made, laborious Lane cake is a sign that a noteworthy life event is about to be celebrated. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Alabama native Harper Lee, character Maudie Atkinson bakes a Lane cake to welcome Aunt Alexandra when she comes to live with the Finch family. Noting the cake's alcoholic kick, the character Scout remarks, "Miss Maudie baked a Lane cake so loaded with shinny it made me tight." Shinny is a slang term for liquor.
Recipe type: Dessert | Butter Layer Cake
Serves: 10 to 12
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Three 8" Round Layers Pan Prep: Greased and Floured Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Filling:
  • 12 large egg yolks
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted, then cooled
  • 1½ cups toasted pecans, finely chopped
  • 1½ cups raisins, finely chopped
  • 1½ cups shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
  • ½ cup bourbon
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Batter:
  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk, room temperature (preferably whole milk)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 8 large egg whites
Seven Minute Frosting:
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Filling:
  1. Place egg yolks in a large bowl of an electric mixer; beat on medium high speed about 3 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat for 5 to 8 minutes or until the mixture is very thick and drops in ribbons when the beater is lifted. Reduce the mixer to low, gradually stream in the melted butter while continuing to beat until the mixture is blended.
  2. Place the bowl with the beaten egg yolks in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Cook the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly with a wire whisk until mixture reaches 170 degrees, using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
  3. Stir in pecans, raisins, and coconut. Let mixture cool, then add the bourbon and vanilla; stir until thoroughly combined.
  4. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 6 hours or overnight. Tip: Plan on making the filling at least one day in advance to give yourself enough time to prepare the cake.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 8 inch round layer cake pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. Tip: to make baked cake easier to remove from pan, lightly grease the pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper and dust the pan with flour.
Batter:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, stir the milk and vanilla extract together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  4. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the milk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and milk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended. Set aside.
  5. In a large mixing bowl and using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Using a balloon type wire whisk or large rubber spatula, gently fold about ¼ of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten the batter, and then fold in the remaining egg whites.
  6. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Place pans on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pans and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Assembly:
  1. Using a long serrated kitchen knife, split each cake into 2 horizontal layers. Tip: Cut one of the cake layers so that the bottom half is thicker than the top half, and use the thicker bottom half as the 1st layer to provide a good base to support the upper layers.
  2. Place the thicker bottom half of the layers on a cake plate. Using an offset spatula spread about ⅔ cup filling over the layer. Repeat with the next four layers. Place the last cake layer on top. And spread remaining filling over the top layer.
  3. Refrigerate the cake at least one hour to stabilize the cake and filling before frosting.
Seven Minute Frosting:
  1. In top of a double boiler, combine egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and water. Beat on high speed 1 minute with a hand-held electric mixer. Place pan over simmering water (the upper pan should not touch the water.) Cook, beating constantly with mixer on high speed about seven minutes or until stiff peaks form. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Beat 1 minute longer to thoroughly combine. Frosting should be used immediately. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  2. Using an offset spatula spread the frosting thickly onto the sides of the chilled cake. Tip: You don’t have to use all the frosting, but this is the type of frosting most people love and will appreciate the thick layer.
  3. Refrigerate the cake 30 minutes before serving to firm the frosting before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.
Source: Classic Southern Desserts, Oxmoor House, Iowa, 2010
Encyclopedia of Alabama

Italian Pecan Cream Cake

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Italian Pecan Cream Cake
Absolutely irresistible. Toasted pecans and coconut create a luscious moist cake that is topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting.
Recipe type: Dessert | Butter Layer Cake
Serves: 10 to 12
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Three 9" round layers Pan Prep: Greased and Floured Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Batter:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs, separated
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
  • 1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 11 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 9-inch round layer cake pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. Tip: to make baked cake easier to remove from pan, lightly grease the pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper and dust the pan with flour.
Batter:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt together, sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, stir the buttermilk and vanilla together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter and shortening in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter and shortening about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter mixture, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  4. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed. Each egg yolk should be fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next egg yolk, taking about one minute to blend in each egg yolk.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the buttermilk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended.
  6. In a medium mixing bowl and using clean beaters, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Using a balloon type whisk or large rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter, and then fold the coconut and pecans into the batter.
  7. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place pans on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pans and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and butter; beat together until mixture is smooth. Add milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar; beat until frosting is smooth and creamy. Stir in pecans. Using an offset spatula, spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.
  2. Cover frosted cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerate Leftovers.

Coconut Custard Layer Cake

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Coconut Custard Layer Cake
Six delicious layers of yummy coconut cake are thoroughly infused with coconut flavor. I’ve used a combination of cream of coconut, both sweetened and unsweetened coconut, along with a bit of coconut extract to achieve this lovely cake; the unsweetened coconut is ground with some of the sugar to boost up the coconut flavor. An easy to make coconut custard provides a luscious filling between two layers, and a silky Swiss Meringue Coconut Buttercream fills the remaining layers and covers the outside. And of course any coconut layer cake should be covered with a deep drift of sweet coconut. I’ve lightly toasted the coconut to use as a garnish on this cake, but if you prefer you can cover the cake with untoasted unsweetened coconut.

This is a lovely cake to serve to guests or for special occasions and can easily be made ahead of time. The coconut custard can be made the day before, along with toasting the coconut, if desired, to use as a garnish to cover the outside of the cake. The cake itself can also be baked the day before. Then all that’s left to do before serving is to make the Buttercream and assemble the cake.
Recipe type: Dessert | Butter Layer Cake
Serves: 10 to 12
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Three 8" Round Layers Pan Prep: Greased, and Floured Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips, Buttercream Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Coconut Batter:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sweetened cream of coconut such as Coco Lopez, (not coconut milk) stirred well before using
  • ¼ cup milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 4 large egg whites
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Coconut Custard:
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Swiss Meringue Coconut Buttercream:
  • 5 large egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/16 teaspoon (pinch) salt
  • 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup sweetened cream of coconut such as Coco Lopez, (not coconut milk) stirred well before using
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Garnish:
  • About 2 cups shredded or flaked sweetened coconut, lightly toasted if desired
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 8 inch round layer cake pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. Tip: to make baked cake easier to remove from pan, lightly grease the pan, line with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper and dust the pan with flour.
Tip: Use cake strips around the pans to help ensure the cake rises evenly. Make a cake strip with a length of aluminum foil long enough to encircle the pan with a little overlap. Fold the strip lengthwise until it is 2 to 3 inches wide. Wrap the strip around the outside of the pan and secure it with a metal paper clip or tape.
Coconut Batter:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, stir the cream of coconut, milk, coconut extract, and vanilla extract together. Set aside.
  3. In a food processor or small food grinder, process the unsweetened coconut and ¼ cup sugar until the coconut is finely ground. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, remaining ¾ cup sugar, and sugar-coconut mixture until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the ¾ cup sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, then add the sugar-coconut mixture, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugars, and beating until the butter and sugars are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugars, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  5. Add the 2 egg yolks, beating until thoroughly mixed.
  6. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the milk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and milk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended. Remove bowl from mixer and Set aside.
  7. In another large mixing bowl and using clean beaters, beat the 6 egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy, add the cream of tartar, and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Using a balloon type whisk or large rubber spatula, gently fold about ¼ of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten the batter, and then fold in the remaining egg whites.
  8. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with a small offset spatula or the back of a large spoon. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Place pans on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pans and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Coconut Custard:
  1. In a medium size heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, flour, milk, and eggs. Cook, whisking constantly with a wire whisk until mixture is bubbly and thick, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in coconut and vanilla. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Tip: Coconut custard can be made the day before and refrigerated until ready to use.
Swiss Meringue Coconut Buttercream:
  1. In a small bowl, stir the cream of coconut, coconut extract, and vanilla extract together. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer combine egg whites, sugar, and salt; place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Using a wire whisk, whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is hot, about 3 to 5 minutes. Tip: the mixture should reach about 130 degrees, using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature, or feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips. Remove from heat.
  3. Attach the bowl to the electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium high speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until the mixture forms a thick fluffy meringue and is cool. Tip: Touch the meringue and make sure it has cooled to room temperature. Also the outside of the bowl should feel cool to the touch.
  4. Stop the mixer, remove the whisk and attach the paddle. With the mixer on medium speed add the butter, about 2 tablespoons at a time and mixing 20 to 30 seconds after each addition. While adding the butter, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Slowly drizzle in the cream of coconut mixture and continue beating until the Buttercream is thick and smooth, about another 2 to 3 minutes.Coconut-Custard-Cake-slice
  5. Buttercream should be used immediately, or refrigerate until needed.
Assembly:
  1. Using a long serrated kitchen knife, split each cake into 2 horizontal layers.
  2. Tip: Cut one of the cake layers so that the bottom half is thicker than the top half, and use the thicker bottom half as the 1st layer to provide a good base to support the upper layers.
  3. Place the thicker bottom half of the layers on a cake plate. Using an offset spatula spread about ¾ cup Coconut Buttercream over the layer. Place another cake layer on top and spread about ½ of the Coconut Custard over the layer. Place another cake layer on top and spread about ¾ cup Coconut Buttercream over the layer then place another cake layer and spread with remaining Coconut Custard. Place the fifth cake layer on top and spread with about ¾ cup Coconut Buttercream. Place the last cake layer on top. Cover the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Spread the frosting as smooth as possible over the top and sides.Coconut-Custard-Cake
Garnish:
  1. To toast coconut: spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven. Stir every 2 to 3 minutes for about 10 minutes or until the coconut is lightly browned. Remove from oven. Let cool before using. Tip: Coconut can be toasted the day before and covered until ready to use.
  2. Gently press coconut around the sides and over top of the cake.
  3. Refrigerate the cake at least 30 minutes before serving to firm the frosting before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Caribbean Coconut Cake

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Caribbean Coconut Cake
Making this beautiful dessert takes extra time, but is worth the effort. The sponge cake layers are drizzled with a coconut-sugar-rum syrup then filled with a rich coconut filling. Spread extra filling on the top and sides of the cake and decorate with sprinkled coconut and candied cherries.
Recipe type: Dessert | Butter Layer Cake
Serves: 10 to 12
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: 9" Round Springform Pan Prep: Greased Bottom Only Oven Temp: 375° Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Batter:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 3 tablespoons warm water
  • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
Syrup:
  • 3 tablespoons coconut milk
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rum
Filling and Topping:
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut milk, divided
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2⅓ cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut, divided
  • 12 candied cherries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 9 inch round springform pan; Grease only the inside bottom of the pan with shortening.
Batter:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, add flour, cornstarch, and baking powder; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg yolks, water, sugar and lemon zest; beat with an electric mixer until mixture is pale and creamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl and using clean beaters, beat egg whites until stiff. Using a balloon type whisk or large rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, and then fold in the flour mixture.
  4. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pan and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Syrup:
  1. In a small heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, combine coconut milk and sugar; stir constantly until boiling and sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Set aside to cool.
Filling and Topping:
  1. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks, 4 tablespoons coconut milk, and cornstarch together with a wire whisk 1 to 2 minutes until a light color. Set aside.
  2. In a medium heavy saucepan over low heat, combine remaining coconut milk and 6 tablespoons sugar; heat and stir constantly until almost boiling. Remove from heat.
  3. Temper the eggs: very slowly, in a thin stream, pour about ⅓ of the hot milk mixture into the beaten eggs while quickly whisking the two together. Tip: The technique used to blend uncooked eggs with a hot liquid is called tempering. Tempering slowly warms the eggs so they are closer to the temperature of the liquid they will be added to, preventing the eggs from scrambling. If you simply poured the eggs into the hot milk they would immediately start cooking and you would have chunks of cooked egg in the mixture.
  4. Return the egg mixture back to the rest of the hot milk, return to medium heat and heat until it gently boils, stirring constantly so the mixture does not burn. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Set aside to partially cool.
  5. In a medium bowl and using clean beaters, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold remaining sugar into the egg whites. Fold egg whites into the partially cooled egg mixture, and then fold in 1⅓ cups coconut. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Assembly:
  1. Using a long kitchen knife, split cooled cake horizontally into 3 layers. Tip: place toothpicks around the cake to mark where to cut. CaribbeanCoconut-Cake-cutting cake layers Caribbean Coconut Cake Splitting Cake Layers
  2. Spread about ¼ of the filling over the bottom layer. Place the second layer on top, sprinkle with half of the syrup; let soak in and then spread with ¼ of the filling. Place the 3rd layer on top, sprinkle with the remaining syrup and let soak in. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining filling.
  3. Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with 1 cup coconut. Decorate top of cake with candied cherries.
  4. Cover and Refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerate Leftovers.
Adapted from: Wolter, Annette, Teubner, Christian, Best of Baking, Fisher Publishing, 1980

Coconut Cake

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Coconut Cake
Clouds of fluffy meringue frosting cover this traditional Southern cake. Coconut milk, combined with vanilla and almond extracts make this rich butter cake a memorable dessert.
Recipe type: Dessert | Butter Layer Cake
Serves: 10 to 12
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two 9" Round Layers Pan Prep: Greased and Floured Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Covered, Room Temperature

Help: Cake Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Batter:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Seven Minute Frosting:
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping:
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 9-inch round layer cake pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. Tip: to make baked cake easier to remove from pan, lightly grease the pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper and dust the pan with flour.
Batter:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, stir the coconut milk, vanilla extract and almond extract together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed. Tip: For each egg, crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the egg before adding to the creamed mixture. Start with the mixer on low speed so the liquid from the egg doesn’t splatter, once the egg is partially mixed increase the speed to medium. Each egg should be fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next egg, taking about one minute to blend in each egg.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the coconut milk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and coconut milk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended. Gently fold the coconut into the batter.
  6. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place pans on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pans and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Seven Minute Frosting:
  1. In top of a double boiler, combine egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, and water. Beat on high speed 1 minute with an electric hand mixer. Place pan over simmering water (the upper pan should not touch the water.) Cook, beating constantly with mixer on high speed about seven minutes or until stiff peaks form. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Beat 2 to 3 minutes longer or until frosting is thick. Using an offset spatula, spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Place a copper, stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
Topping:
  1. Sprinkle the top of the cake with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides.

Lemon Cream Coconut Cake

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Lemon Cream Coconut Cake
Lemon and coconut are an all-time classic flavor combination. This moist and sweet four layer cake is filled a fresh lemon curd and coconut filling which provides just the right amount tart contrast taste. A delectable mascarpone frosting that tastes like a rich whipped cream covers the outside of the cake. And of course the finishing touch to any coconut cake is the fluffy layer of pure white coconut dressing the entire cake.
Recipe type: Dessert | Butter Layer Cake
Serves: 10 to 12
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two 9" Round Layers Pan Prep: Greased, and Floured Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Batter:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Lemon Curd with Coconut:
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest (about 3 lemons)
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Mascarpone Frosting:
  • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
  • ½ cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
  • 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Garnish:
  • 1 to 2 cups shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 9-inch round layer cake pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. Tip: to make baked cake easier to remove from pan, lightly grease the pan, line with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper and dust with flour.
Batter:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, stir the coconut milk and vanilla extract together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed. Tip: For each egg, crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the egg before adding to the creamed mixture. Start with the mixer on low speed so the liquid from the egg doesn’t splatter, once the egg is partially mixed increase the speed to medium. Each egg should be fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next egg, taking about one minute to blend in each egg.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the coconut milk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and coconut milk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended. Gently fold the coconut into the batter.
  6. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with a small offset spatula or the back of a large spoon. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place pans on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pans and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Lemon Curd with Coconut:
  1. In a medium heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and egg yolks. Cook and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until butter is melted and mixture is thickened, about 7 to 10 minutes, or registers 170 degrees using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. Do not allow mixture to boil or the egg yolks will curdle. Remove pan from heat.
  2. Immediately pour the hot mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to strain out the lemon zest pieces and any bits of egg that may have curdled. Stir in the coconut. Let cool, then pour into an airtight container and refrigerate to chill. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Tip: Lemon curd with coconut can be made the day before and refrigerated until ready to use.
Mascarpone Frosting:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine mascarpone cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and whipping cream; use an electric mixer and beat together until mixture is smooth. Add vanilla; beat 2 to 4 minutes or until frosting is thick and fluffy.
  2. Mascarpone frosting should be used immediately, or refrigerate until needed.
Assembly:
  1. Using a long serrated kitchen knife, split each cake into 2 horizontal layers. Tip: Cut one of the cake layers so that the bottom half is thicker than the top half, and use the thicker bottom half as the 1st layer to provide a good base to support the upper layers.
  2. Place the thicker bottom half of the layers on a cake plate. Using an offset spatula spread about ⅓ of the Lemon Curd with Coconut over the layer. Repeat with the next two layers. Place the last cake layer on top. Cover the sides and top of the cake with the Mascarpone Frosting. Spread the frosting as smooth as possible over the top and sides.Lemon Cream Coconut Cake
Garnish:
  1. Gently press coconut around the sides and over top of the cake.
  2. Refrigerate the cake at least 30 minutes before serving to firm the frosting before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.