Coconut Cake

This puffy cake is very lovely, I think because of the white on white effect that the icing and flaked coconut created. This cake is a good way of using all egg white that has left from other recipes too, and it’s delicious (and you don’t need to have left egg white to make this one, just make them and keep egg yolks instead). Seven minutes icing is easy to make and when paring with fresh coconut this cake is heavenly. I reduce the amount of the sugar on the icing a little bit but if you love sweetness you can use the original amount. With a cup of hot tea, this cake is a real treat.

Note on May 2010: I reduce the sugar amount from 760g to 620g after I tried to make the cake less sweet 

Coconut Cake

Serves 12

3 ½ cups  cake flour, sifted twice
4 tsp.  baking powder
½ tsp. salt
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
660 g. sugar (400g/260g)
1 cup  milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. coconut extract
10 egg whites
5 Tbs. cold water
½ tsp. cream of tartar
1 ½ tsp. light corn syrup
2 cups flaked coconut, fresh or dried

Preheat to 350ºF.
Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Gradually 400 g. of the sugar and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes more. Reduce speed to low. Fold the flour mixture into the butter in three parts, alternating with the milk, until smooth. Fold in 1 tsp. of the vanilla and the coconut extract.

In a large, clean bowl, beat 8 of the egg whites with a whisk to stiff peaks. Fold 1/2 cup whites into the batter until blended, then fold in the remaining whites. Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

In a heatproof bowl, combine the remaining 2 egg whites, the remaining 220g. sugar, the water, cream of tartar and corn syrup. In a bowl set over a pan of simmering water but not touching the water, beat the mixture until thick, shiny and double in volume, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add the remaining 1 tsp. vanilla and beat until the icing is thick enough to spread, 2 to 3 minutes more.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup icing and 1 1/2 cups of the coconut; stir to mix. Set 1 cake on a plate, spread the icing evenly over the top and set the other cake on top. Working from top to bottom, spread on the remaining plain icing. Pat the remaining coconut evenly onto the sides and top.

Adaptation from: Williams-Sonoma Website

If you want the original recipe, just click here