Receta Coconut Cake With Lemon Curd Filling...
The mister is a snob about many things...he'll only wear a certain kind
of shirt, a certain kind of shoe, and he's worn the same brand of potty
pants his entire life. He insists on sitting in a certain section at the football games and he only parks in special parking lots. He's also a bit snobbish about "fluids" but when it comes to food there are only two things that bring out the snob in him...one is mustard - if it ain't French's Mustard then it ain't going anywhere near him. And the other is this cake. He used to be utterly addicted to the frozen Sara Lee Coconut Cake...he would request them weekly...and then I discovered this recipe in Baking Illustrated, made the cake and he was converted on the spot...it was something I'll never forget...like watching a tent-revival-minister place his hand upon his forehead and bellow out "healed!" As the mister ate this cake, his face took on a countenance I'd never seen before...he was content, happy, almost giddy. That's how good this cake is..it healed the mister...I wish it could have saved him but I fear there isn't enough cake in all of cakedom to do that!
PIck up some Cream of Coconut in the soda and drink-mix aisle of the grocery store for this cake; don't use Coconut milk, it's too watery and won't work. You'll also need some coconut extract and a fair bit of butter...which is why this cake is SO tender....the layers always bake up so high you'll be tempted to slice them in two and make this into a four-layer cake! This is not just a white cake with coconut on top - it's coconutty inside and out - and it's so delicious it's almost ridiculous.
While the mister likes being a snob - thinking he's "upper crust," and all-knowing, he's spot on when it comes to this cake and it's one of the few things we actually agree on...this cake is truly worth the hype. Oh, just for the record, he's really not "upper crust"...he's just crusty...but don't tell him that.
Coconut Cake With Lemon Curd Filling ~ Adapted From Baking Illustrated
(I only changed one thing from the original recipe,the addition of the lemon curd filling. I use a purchased lemon curd to speed up the process. You can omit the lemon curd and just use frosting in between the layers if desired but we like the "surprise" and freshness it brings to the cake.)
- 2 1/4 cups plain cake flour, sifted, plus more for dusting the pans
- 1 large egg plus 5 large egg whites
- 3/4 cup cream of coconut
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 12 pieces
- 2 cups packed sweetened shredded coconut
- Coconut Buttercream
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, each stick cut into 6 pieces
- 1/4 cup cream of coconut
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Filling:
- 1 jar (7 oz.) purchased lemon curd
For the cake: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Beat the whole egg and egg whites in a large liquid measuring cup with a fork to combine. Add the cream of coconut, water, and coconut and vanilla extracts and beat with a fork until thoroughly combined.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer at the lowest speed to combine, about 30 seconds. With the mixer still running at the lowest speed, add the butter one piece at a time, then beat until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
With the mixer still running, add 1 cup of the egg mixture to the flour and butter mixture. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With the mixer still running, add the remaining 1 cup liquid in a steady stream (this should take about 15 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds. (Batter will be thick.)
Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake until the cakes are deep golden brown, have pulled away from the sides of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Do not turn off the oven.
Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then loosen the cakes from the sides of the pans and invert onto racks. Re-invert so the tops are facing up and allow the cakes to cool to room temperature.
While cakes are cooling, toast the coconut: Spread the shredded coconut on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in the oven until the shreds are a mix of golden brown and white, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature. (I only toasted enough coconut to go on the top of the cake because, we like plain shredded coconut on the sides.)
For the buttercream: Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl; set the bowl over a saucepan containing 1 1/2 inches of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until this mixture is opaque and warm to the touch and registers 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a standing mixer, beat the whites at high speed until they are barely warm (about 80 degrees), glossy, and sticky, about 7 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-high and beat in the butter 1 piece at a time. Beat in the cream of coconut and the coconut and vanilla extracts. Stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue to beat at medium-high speed until well combined, about 1 minute.
To assemble the cake: Put a dob of frosting in the center of the cake plate - it will act like a glue and keep the bottom layer of the cake from sliding around as it is frosted. On top of cake layer, spoon 1/3 cup lemon curd, leaving about a half-inch of space before the edge. Place other cake layer on top. Frost sides and top of cake. Gently push coconut onto sides and top of cake with your hand (as I mentioned above, I only put the toasted coconut on the top of the cake but you can do whatever you like!)
Sorry I don't have a pic to show of the inside - just imagine tall white layers with the pretty lemon curd oozing out from between...it's 5 dangs worthy my friends...dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good!