Coconut Cake with 'Real' Toasted Coconut and Fluffy Icing

Happy day-after-the-Super-Bowl! I hope y'all had a fabulous celebration filled with great food. Selections from our menu will come later this week. But first, you need to meet the ultimate coconut cake!

I wanted a challenge--something that I would never normally make--and I was reminded that both my grandfather and aunt love coconut cake. Really, my grandfather loves anything coconut, but put it in the form of cake, and you're one golden grandchild.

I started with several lighter recipes and used those as guidelines. Despite my grandparents' slim physiques and active lifestyle, their little tickers are not in the best of conditions. I try to be cognizant of this, and if I really were, I'd be fixing them steamed broccoli, but where's the fun in that? I think things can me made light without cooking with fake ingredients and man-made/manipulated sugars. We'll leave it at that. Don't get me started...

I had never bought a fresh coconut, so I did a little research before heading to the grocery. I picked one (like i was told) that seemed heavy for its size, but not all that confident in my first coconut picking, I also bought a frozen fresh pack of coconut. This is what I mean by 'real' coconut; not that sweetened, dried stuff in the baking aisle, right next to sweetened condensed milk.

The icing was very much like a meringue; it was fluffy and light and practically melted in your mouth. It reminded me of marshmallow cream; I used to eat that stuff by the spoonful. The icing was fat free since it was made with egg whites! Yep, no butter, shortening, or cream cheese like most icings. See, I'm trying to look out for them! I bypassed the coconut cake recipe that called for three sticks of butter.

When my grandfather came to get his surprise that Sunday, he scarfed down his lunch in order to get to eat the cake as soon as possible. I cut him a large slice, and it was gone just as quickly as the wrap. His critique? "My taste buds are going crazy!" He loved it and had not had real coconut cake in a long time. He gladly took his half home with him...I'm sure it's long gone by now.

I think it was a success! Take a hack at a fresh coconut of your own, but if you're not feeling up for it or are pressed for time, get the frozen stuff--right next to the puff pastry, pie crusts, and whipped cream.

For the toasted coconut:

1 coconut (heavy for its size)

3  T sugar

Preheat oven to 300. To open a coconut, tap a clean nail (or mini screwdriver, as in our case) into each of the coconut's three 'eyes,' or use a cork screw. Drain the water from the coconut; we had less than an ounce. If ever stranded on a deserted island, I hope those coconuts are a more fruitful than this one! You should be able to whack one end of the coconut with the dull end of your knife or hammer it a bit and it will should pop right open. Well, of course, this coconut was stubborn. I sawed at it; I contemplated slamming it in the driveway; finally, we decided to commandeer more help. Into the vice the coconut went, and Dad lowered the knife in a clean swoop that resembled skills of a French executioner. Ta-da! The shell cracked, and it was handed over for flesh extraction! Now that's teamwork.

Break the wood-like shell away from the flesh. It will have a thin brown skin, but this can easily be removed with a potato peeler or paring knife. It is okay if you have chunks; ours just happened to stay almost whole. Once all of the brown has been removed, grate the white flesh. Toss flesh with sugar, place it on a cookie sheet or two--you don't want it to be too crowded. Toast the coconut until lightly brown; it will be much sweeter than if you were to use it raw, because the natural sugars and the ones you added will caramelize resulting in a more complex flavor! Mmmm. This will take at least 30 minutes, but maybe longer. Take it out once it is golden. Set aside to cool while you prepare the cake.

For the cake:

cake spray (this is foolproof and works MUCH better and is easier than the butter and flour method)

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (cake flour yields a lighter, fluffier texture)

2 1/4 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 T butter, softened

2 eggs, room temperature

14 ounce can lite coconut milk (next time I will attempt making this, but I wasn't pushing my luck trying to open two coconuts)
1/3 c sour cream (the family secret to very moist cakes)

1 T vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Spray two nine-inch cake pans. In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients. In a larger bowl, mix sugar and butter very well, about two minutes. Add eggs, one at a time. Alternate adding the dry mix and the coconut milk and sour cream. When adding wet and dry ingredients, you always want to end with the dry. Be sure to scrape down the sides, and finally, stir in vanilla.

Split the batter between the two cake pans. Be sure to tap the pans against the counter to remove any air bubbles; this will make it bake evenly. We've all made cakes before that have a huge mound in the middle, and when you try to stack it, you need to give it a little trim in order for the top layer to sit without sliding off the bottom mound. Tapping should solve your problem.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for a couple minutes on wire racks in the pans, and then, flip the layers onto the racks to cool completely.

For the icing:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 t cream of tarter

pinch salt

3 large egg whites

2 T vanilla

I have always been intimidated by double boilers, so before being the chosen one to make boiled custard for the holidays, I would have shied away from this recipe, but I have spent quite a bit of quality time with the DB making the custard. This recipe is totally worth conquering your fear of DBs--if you even have one. (The custard recipe will come...check back around Easter).

I used a large pot fitted with a glass mixing bowl. Simmer a couple of inches of water in the pot. While the water is warming, mix everything except the vanilla in the glass bowl/top of the DB. Once you have done this and the water is simmering, place the bowl on top of the pot. Mix constantly with a handheld mixer until stiff peaks form--it will resemble meringue. Once the icing seems to set, remove from the pot and add vanilla.

To assemble: (I cut my cake in half in order to give it to my grandfather and my aunt).
Once both the icing and cakes have cooled, place a cake layer on a plate and ice the top of it. Sprinkle with a handful of coconut. Top with the other layer, and ice. Make even strokes down the side of the cake from the top. The greatest part about this cake is that it doesn't have to be perfect, because you're going to splatter it with toasted coconut. Voila the imperfections are hidden!

Slice and enjoy!

Side note: If you want, you may place strips of wax paper or parchment under the bottom layer of the cake; remove them after you've iced it and the plate stay clean!