Double-Coconut Cake with Fluffy Coconut Frosting

Coconut milk, found with the Asian foods in the supermarket, makes this cake moist and rich.

Yield:

14 servings

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon cake flour
2. 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
3. 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 1 2/3 cups sugar
6. 1/3 cup butter, softened
7. 2 large eggs
8. 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
9. 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
10. .
11. For the Fluffy Coconut Frosting:
12. =========================
13. 4 large egg whites
14. 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
15. Dash of salt
16. 1 cup sugar
17. 1/4 cup water
18. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
19. 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
20. .
21. 2/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour.
3. Combine 2 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (for about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap the pans once on countertop to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.
5. While the cake is baking, prepair the frosting. Place egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 238°. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed. Stir in extracts.
6. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1 cup Fluffy Coconut Frosting. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup coconut. Top with remaining cake layer; spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle 1/3 cup coconut over top of cake. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

Notes