Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 tsp soda
- dash of salt
- 2 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp coconut flavoring
- 2 cups shredded coconut
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Frosting
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 4 unbeaten egg whites
- 6 tbsp water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp light corn syrup
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9-inch layer cake pans.
- In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition.
- Sift the dry ingredients (soda, salt, flour, baking powder) together in a separate bowl. Add to the creamed mixture alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in the vanilla and coconut flavor.
- Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
- Frosting: In the top part of double boiler, combine egg whites, sugar, water, salt, cream of tartar & corn syrup; beat with a hand held electric mixer until blended well (about 1 minute).
- Place over boiling water, beating constantly for 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form when beaters are slowly lifted.
- Remove from boiling water; add vanilla & continue beating until frosting is cool & thick enough to spread (about another 7 minutes).
- Frost the cooled cake layers, stacking them as you go. Generously sprinkle shredded coconut over the top and sides of the frosted cake.
- Yummy! Make the café au lait and then call me.
Common Problems and Solutions
Q: Why is my seven-minute frosting runny or won't form peaks?
A: The frosting needs the full 7 minutes of constant beating over boiling water to reach the right temperature and consistency. Make sure your water is at a rolling boil and you're beating continuously. Also, this frosting is very sensitive to humidity—don't attempt it on rainy or very humid days.
Q: Can I make this cake ahead of time?
A: The cake layers can be baked a day ahead, wrapped tightly, and stored at room temperature. However, the seven-minute frosting is best made and applied the day you plan to serve the cake, as it doesn't hold as well as buttercream over time.
Q: Why did my cake layers turn out dense instead of light and fluffy?
A: Make sure to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes), and don't overmix once you add the flour. Alternating the dry ingredients with the buttermilk and mixing just until combined helps maintain a tender crumb.
Tips and Techniques
When making the seven-minute frosting, have everything measured and ready before you start—once you begin beating over the boiling water, you can’t stop. A hand mixer works better than a stand mixer for this frosting since you need to keep it over the double boiler while beating. To ensure even cake layers, weigh the batter as you divide it among the pans.
Ingredient Substitutions
- cake flour: all-purpose flour
- buttermilk: milk with vinegar or lemon juice
- coconut flavoring: additional vanilla extract or almond extract
Equipment Needed
- Three 9-inch round cake pans
- Electric hand mixer
- Double boiler (or makeshift with a metal bowl over a pot)
- Sifter or fine mesh strainer
- Wire cooling racks
Historical Context
Seven-minute frosting, also called boiled icing, was especially popular in the South before air conditioning became common. It uses no butter or cream, making it stable in warm weather better than buttercream, which was crucial for holiday gatherings in Louisiana homes.