It was my boyfriend’s sister’s birthday, and she wanted a coconut cake. I originally wanted to make a 6 layer coconut cake with passion fruit curd filling, but the Austin Central Market is not very well stocked, and did not have the passion fruit puree like it’s Dallas store does. I settled for a Tyler Florence recipe from Food and Wine. Instead of a separate cake filling the layers are brushed with a mixture of rum and simple syrup, and frosted with a coconut buttercream.

The recipe called for 4 cake pans, but I only had 3. I also thought about using 2 pans and halving each cake, but there was two much batter for 2 pans, so I just settle for dividing between 3 pans. The layers were a bit thick for my liking, and next time I will probably half each cake to two so I will have a 6 layer cake.

To make the batter, a lot of eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract are beaten together in a stand mixer.

The batter will become pale and triple in volume.

The dry ingredients then are folded gently into the egg batter. It’s important to fold from the bottom so the dry bits are thoroughly mixed, otherwise you might get little balls of flour or corn starch in the baked cake.

The cakes are baked and cooled and set aside until ready for assembly. The cake will fall a little bit as it cools, which is normal.

The buttercream frosting is a little complicated to make, and requires constant attention. This basic concept is that egg whites are beaten while hot sugar syrup is mixed in at the same time. The egg whites will be cooked by the hot syrup, and once the sugar is fully incorporated, the meringue is then beaten until cooled to room temperature, and a lot of room temperature butter is beaten into it.

To make the meringue base for the frosting, some sugar is cooked in a pan until it reaches “soft ball stage”. “Soft ball stage” means the cooked sugar has reached a temperature range of 235F to 240F, and if a little bit of sugar at this point is dropped in cool water, it will form into a soft and pliable ball. I would highly recommend investing into a candy thermometer to monitor the sugar cooking process, since the “soft ball stage” is very near full caramel-ization, and, if you don’t watch it carefully, may burn.

When the sugar is about 5 degrees from reaching the soft ball stage, you want to start beating the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. If your egg whites reach this stage before the sugar has reached the soft ball stage, you can just leave the egg whites in the soft peak stage until you are ready to pour in the sugar. Be very careful when pouring the sugar, because it will be very hot, and you want to have a steady hand so the sugar is poured in gradually, not all at once. I also highly recommend making this frosting in a stand mixer if you don’t have a second pair of hands to help. Also make sure your sugar is at the right temperature, if it’s not hot enough, it will harden quickly and make a mess with your stand mixer.

I don’t have too many photos of making the meringue, because things happen very quickly, so I didn’t have a spare second to document the process.

After the sugar is fully incorporated, the frosting will be fluffy, shiny, and hot. I usually leave the mixer on for 20 minutes so that the meringue is beaten until cooled to room temperature. If it’s too warm, when you add butter, the frosting will curdle. If that happens to your buttercream, just let the frosting cool in the fridge a bit, then continue. The frosting will reshape it self if the temperature is correct.

When the meringue is cool enough, room temperature butter is added, a couple of tablespoons at a time, into the meringue. Make sure that the butter is fully incorporated before adding more. Finally, beat in the coconut extract. The buttercream can be kept in the fridge, or frozen, until ready to use. If it’s been sitting in the fridge, you want to beat it for a minute or two in the stand mixer before using. If your butter cream is frozen, thaw it out over night in the fridge, then beat it for a minute or two before using.

To assemble the cake, a mixture of simple syrup and rum is brushed over the first layer of cake, then buttercream frosting is spread over the cake. I added a extra layer of sweetened, shredded coconuts before topping with the next layer.

This process is repeated twice with the remaining two layers. The cake is then frosted all over.

To add finish decorating the cake, I toasted up some unsweetened, large flakes of dried coconut in a pan.

Then I pressed the flakes by hand into the frosting on the side of the cake.

When I served the cake, I noticed that I did not evenly frost each layer, so there was too much frosting on the top layer, and not enough on the bottom layer. I think next time, I will divide the frosting up so I will know exactly how much frosting I use on each layer. That way the cake will be much more pleasant looking, and the frosting evenly distributed.

Towering Coconut Layer Cake: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/towering-coconut-layer-cake

 for my mother’s 89th birthday this year, she asked for a coconut birthday layer cake.  one of the best decisions i made for this cake was to purchase this brand of unsweetened flaked coconut.  the large shaved coconut was perfect for the cake and added excellent flavor to the frosting. 

by having flat shaved pieces of coconut, compared to the fine wisps of coconut that i typically purchase at the market in the baking aisle, we experienced a much better tasting icing for the cake.  for this two layer cake, i used almost the entire bag of coconut.

in order to make this cake, i did not make the cake from a recipe, but used a white cake mix, and then my own icing recipe that i have published on the blog under maple icing  for this cake, however; i used vanilla flavor rather than the maple flavor on that posting.  once i frosted the first layer, i added coconut flakes to the center of the cake, and then continued with the frosting decoration.  after the cake was frosted, i added the coconut to the top and exterior of the cake, being very generous in the application.

I’ve eaten so freakin’ many delicious things this lifetime, year, season month that I’m not really sure where to start.  I’m literally bursting at the seams with scrumptious recipes.  Literally… my seams are ripping… hence the stretchy pants.  True story.

In fact, today was the epitome of indulgence. Talk about once on the lips, forever on the hips – we had a full out breakfast @ home

before feasting with my family followed directly by fondue night (cheese and chocolate – for realz) at the in-laws. Let alone the snackies galoray last night at the loverly New Year’s bash we attended.

Oh yeah, and the fact that I’ve felt compelled to bring the vast majority of the calories to every holiday festivity we attended this past week.  This week alone consisted of makin’ me some:

• Homemade Twix Bars
• Creme Brulée Cupcakes
• Baklava
• Thin Mint Brownies with Cinnamon (Goldschlager!!) Creme
• Croissant Pizza Rolls
• 3 Tier Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

And let’s be real here – I’m a finger-lickin’ bowl-scooping taste tester so whatever I bring I’ve already eaten a good third of.

Now do you understand my need to bust out the fat pants? Wanna join?  K great!! Party, party.

Lofty Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Let’s start with the most delicious coconut cake I’ve made to date.  It’s flavorful, it’s light yet satisfying, its sweet butnot tooth-aching and it’s super easy on the eyes.  I found it to be pretty fun to make too – not the quickest recipe ever but not painful in any way.  The recipe is actually from the ever-lovely Kathleen King and her Southampton Tate’s Bakeshop.

Ready for the exciting part? I know that wonderful lady as ‘Aunt Kathleen’ because she is one of my bff (and maid of honor!)’s auntie.  And let me tell you – she is truly as sweet as her rockin’ recipes. Def. one of those people whose worked her tail off and deserves all of the wonderfullness that is coming her way.  (We’re talking Food Network acclaim, fans like Gwyneth Paltrow and Rachael Ray,  forewords by Barefoot Contessa and something like $6 million in annual revenue. Get it girl!)

Lofty Coconut Cake

(adapted from Tate’s Coconut Birthday Cake – yields one 8 in. three layer cake)

Ingredients:

2¾ cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1½ cups sugar

1 cup salted butter, softened

1 cup canned cream of coconut (Coco Lopez, Goya, La Preferida, etc.)

5 large eggs, separated

3 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups coconut flakes

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare three 8- inch layer cake pans with pan spray, and line the bottom with waxed/parchment paper (spray under and on top of the circle of paper).
3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. With an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter till it’s light and fluffy. Add the cream of coconut and beat it till it’s fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Add the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix it again.
5. Add the dry ingredients and mix till they are just combined. Add the buttermilk and mix it till it is combined.
6. In a separate mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry (mine never got stiff – perhaps bc I didn’t wash the bowl from the other previous steps, it wasn’t an issue in texture or flavor!). Fold the egg whites into the batter.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake the cake for 4o to 45 minutes or until a cake tester or tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pans and turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting and sprinkling with coconut flakes.

*Store as necessary in an airtight container, using the same circles of parchment to separate the layers so they don’t stick together.

Cream Cheese Frosting

(also adapted from Tate’s Cookbook)

Makes enough to frost two 9 inch cake layers.

I made a batch and a half for my three 8 in. layers.  It was probably about twice what I needed.

Ingredients:

3  8 oz. pkgs of cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. salted butter, softened

3 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 c. confectioners sugar (or more, just keep adding gradually

3 TBS cream of coconut (leftover from the can you used for the cake!! – original recipe calls for pineapple juice – both are optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and mix it in.  Beat in the sugar.  Scrape down bowl and beat some mo’.  Add the cream of coconut, if desired, and mix it well.

Spread first on the top and sides of bottom layer, cover with coconut flakes, repeat with second and third layers:)  I do it right on the cake plate, cleaning up a bit as I go.

Plus: MAGNIFICENT NEWS!! Here’s my first blog video!!  It’s super rough.  And by super rough I mean camera to website – which won’t be the norm in the future (hopefully).  I’m just too excited not to share immediately.  Also – please not it was totally impromptu so it’s pretty much non-helpful and random – but Jer wanted to give his new macro lense a video-opp and I just happened to be putting together this foxy coconut cake at the moment. Also, there is an interesting rattling sound throughout – made by that there new lense.  Blah – blah – blah – here’s the goods!!

I know, I know, I’m overwhelmed with excitement too.  More fun videos are in the future!!  I’d love your feedback in the meantime:)

108 Degrees in the sun on Thursday!

The Weekly Re-cap: I told you about my library – my Quiet Home Away From Home and the 4th of July.  I posted up my 1st poll – about your library use.  I helped a friend interpret her dreams about tornadoes and told you the history behind soap operas.  Last but certainly not least, I continued my interview series with an interview of my Mom

The Weekly Read: The Everything Blogging Book and Shift Your Habit.

The Weekly Music: EdXeno sang/rapped Vanilla Ice’s -  Ice Ice Baby during karaoke at Elda’s on Lark and it was awesome!

The Weekly Movie: We went to a pre-screened of the movie Cyrus.  It had it’s funny moments for sure, but I think they could have done more with the story to make it more interesting or humorous.  Not awesome but not bad either.
We also watched The Spy Next Door.  I always like Jackie Chan movies

Lucky

The Weekly Downer: A baby bunny falling into the pool and ending up in the skimmer

The Weekly Good Karma: Michael rescuing the bunny out of the skimmer and us getting to spend and hour or two with ‘Lucky’ before we released him back into the wild.  Click the link – you know you want to!  The bunny was so cute!

The Weekly Interesting Facts: Since we met Lucky why not learn about rabbits   Rabbit facts found here.

• A male rabbit is called a buck and a female rabbit is called a doe.
• A rabbit can see behind himself, without turning his head, but has a blind spot in front of his face.
• A rabbit sweats through the pads on its feet.
• Domestic rabbits cannot breed with wild rabbits.
• Rabbits are the most active at dawn and dusk.
• Rabbits can jump to a height of more than 36 inches.
• Rabbits can purr, just like a cat.
• Rabbits cannot vomit.

The Weekly Food: Steak, Portabellas and Zucchini on the grill and Chocolate Zucchini Bread.

The Weekly OMG: I swam in my pool for the first time this week!!  This is the 4th summer I’ve owned my pool!

Yummy Coconut Birthday Cake!

The Weekly Birthdays: Ryan Jones, Erin Carlotto, Jean Languish, and Kevin Mowry.  I hope you all have wonderful birthdays!!  Leave a comment and tell me what you did to celebrate!

The Weekly Activity: Celebrating Independence Day.  Bella & I also made a visit down to see Mom & Dad.  Dad replaced the brake pads on my truck for me.  Michael & I went out with some of the Times Union Bloggers.  We started at the Albany Pump Station and moved on to Elda’s on Lark.  A nice gathering of interesting people

The Weekly new people I’ve found on Twitter: DanielTosh, Albany_Weather, AlbanyJobs, YNNAlbany, Sue215, HunterMtn, SPAC_2010, and DeFrees.

The Weekly Charity I’m Pimping: LaDorka’s National MS Walk.

Isabella's 1st Birthday

The Weekly Countdown: Isabella’s 3rd Birthday: 16 Days.

The Weekly Hypothetical:  You’re a gossip type – how long do you wait until a person walks out of a room to trash talk them?

The Weekly Not-So-Hypothetical:  What have you been doing to stay cool this week? (It was 108 degrees in the sun here today!!)