As a baker I’m always looking for new ways to make things, different techniques and especially different flavours to combine together. Every so often I’ll stumble onto something so incredible that it’ll completely take me by surprise!
I never would have though to pair these two flavours together, coconut and coffee, had it not been from an awesome fellow baker who mentioned it to me on Facebook. I was so intrigued that I immediately went to the store, got what I needed and started baking. To say I fell in love is an understatement! I was knocked off my feet and whirl winded into a whole new world of awesomeness! <3
I went ahead and used an all new never shared before coconut cake recipe which I’ve been working on. It’s definitely a new favourite for me and quite different from my coconut white cake. Todays recipe stems from my ever so amazing, and popular! ;), super fluffy vanilla cake. I filled and frosted with my regular vanilla buttercream frosting which I infused with some black coffee.
The cake itself turned out exceptionally soft and fluffy with a delicious moist crumb. I love that the texture was still light and fluffy even with the addition of coconut milk. I didn’t change much except for adding some ground desiccated coconut into the batter and replaced some whole eggs with egg whites. I decreased some of the flour because of the addition of the ground coconut, just to make sure the batter wasn’t too thick, and used egg whites to give a very lovely cream-like texture to the cake.
The frosting is super simple and straightforward. Just make the vanilla frosting and add some strong black coffee to it until you’ve reached a nice spreadable consistency. I topped the frosting with some coconut because that specific flavour combination is OUT OF THIS WORLD! seriously don’t leave out the coconut toppings 😉
I am soo happy with this coconut cake, it’s my new obsession and I can’t wait to use it in so many different ways!
I cannot wait for you guys to try it and plzz tag me with your pics @dutchbakerblog on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
Ingredients
2 1/3 cups minus 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch/cornflour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 scant (less than full) teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups ground coconut, see directions below
1/2 cup (100gms) softened butter
1 1/2 cups (300gms) white sugar, preferably caster/super fine
1/4 cup (60mls) oil
1 egg
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon coconut or almond extract, optional
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (125gms) sour cream, plain or coconut flavoured yoghurt can be substituted
1 cup (250mls) canned coconut milk
- For the frosting
1 cup (200 gms) salted butter
3 cups (375 gms) icing sugar
3 – 4 tablespoons black coffee, 1 tablespoon espresso stirred with 1/4 cup hot water
Optional, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Make some ground coconut by taking about 2 cups of shredded or desiccated coconut, you can toast them if you like in a non stick saucepan, and blitz them in a food processor or grinder until you have a loose crumb/flour. Measure 1 1/2 cups and save any extra for decoration.
- Grease and flour the cake pans very well then line the bottoms with baking paper. These cakes are quite delicate so I highly recommend taking the extra step of lining at least the bottoms with the baking paper to prevent the cakes from sticking. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch/cornflour, ground coconut and salt and whisk until very well combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk butter until creamy then add in the sugar gradually. Once combined, add in 2 tablespoons of the oil and whisk until mixture is paled in colour and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes (click here for references).
- Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil then the egg and egg whites one at a time whisking well in between each addition. Add in the extracts and whisk for 60 seconds until fluffy.
- Alternate in the dry ingredients with the sour cream and coconut milk in alternating batches starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Make sure you whisk the last addition of dry ingredients until *just* combined taking care not to over mix. Batter is slightly thick and may be lumpy which is fine, do not attempt to smooth out the lumps.
- Divide batter between cake pans and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until baked through and a toothpick or knife comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for a minimum of 40 to 45 minutes before removing onto a wire rack to cool completely. I like to cool on the rack for about 15 minutes then place in an airtight container to cool completely.
- For the frosting
- Place butter in bowl and whisk on high speed using an electric whisk for 8 to 10 minutes until very light in colour and creamy.
- Add in the powdered sugar 1/2 – 1 cup at a time, whisking for about 30 seconds between each addition.
- Add in coffee until the desired consistency is reached. Whisk in vanilla to taste.
- Fill and frost the cake with the frosting and press some desiccated or shredded coconut around the sides and top of the cake.
Notes
- Recipe by the dutch baker.