Better the DAy after according to my DAD!
I usually paraphrase the recipes I use or adjust, but this recipe is so involved, I copied and pasted exactly. I did not use the step with simple syrup because I knew my audience and I thought it would make the cake too sweet. Summer says to me sun, swimming and solstice, but we’ve got the sun, we just had the solstice but I have had no swimming to date where I live. Usually I look at the extra light in the day as something to look forward to but I have found myself scrambling to find things to fill my day. This cake was something I might normally not try because of the time commitment, but I figured I have nothing but time, so now’s the time to make the recipes which require some effort for some real payoff…”Southern Coconut Pecan Cake” (I said to myself) “Here I come!”
This Saturday we celebrated Father’s day at my parent’s house and I decided to tackle this recipe thinking, the more involved, the more to do! An hour and 30 minutes in, I realize it is not. a cake for the faint of heart. I soldiered on, covered in a fine dusting of coconut powder because I found a part of the food processor after grinding the coconut. After I waded through runaway pecans, drips of cream of coconut and various kitchen accoutrement which seemed like good ideas to use at the time, I was relieved to see my hard work produced two decent looking cakes and some convincingly appetizing coconut custard filling. I had to cool the cakes in the fridge and the custard in the freezer, but when I packed the cooler, with the partially assembled cake I was cautiously optimistic. Since I was on a time crunch, I decided to frost the cake at my parents and also to assemble the frosting there, and this made my cake a success. The recipe calls for chilling the cake, once the layers have been assembled, in the fridge for an hour and don’t skip this step! After it had chilled for a while and I took out the frosting ingredients (have heavy cream, will travel) and using my grandma’s hand mixer, taped together but still working, I made a Chantilly cream I felt so proud of. I did not have time to toast the coconut, but I mixed the untoasted coconut in with serious success. I was rewarded by how well it was received and how well it tasted! You can actually taste the heartiness of the ground pecans in the cake proper and the coconut custard filling was something I would make again for use with other recipes. While I love baking, I am not always super keen on baking in my tiny galley kitchen where the mixer takes up the entire counter and yet, buoyed by my success with this recipe, I see more summer cakes in my future- grumpiness over space be damned! I see big kitchens in my future with islands and pan racks, but today I take comfort in the fact I made a cake I am proud of, despite the fact it was made not in the kitchen of my dreams, but in a kitchen I still am grateful to have.
About this recipe: I am planning on making again and I learned some things from this recipe, like how powerful my food processor is and the difference between coconut milk and cream of coconut. Now I am the proud owner of coconut extract, and I see something tropical in my future recipes. As the recipe says, use parchment paper and assemble in the cake pan, and it slides easily from the pan it is assembled in. In the future I plan on doubling the amount of coconut custard filling, because it is honestly the best part of the cake and worth luxuriating in. If you’re gonna have cake, better make it decadent!
*complete disclosure- I realized after rereading where I was supposed to add the coconut milk and next time I will add it! I knew I bought coconut milk for a reason!
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKE:
1 cup/85 grams firmly packed sweetened shredded coconut
¾ cup/74 grams pecan halves, toasted
2 cups/402 grams granulated sugar
2 ¼ cups/287 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened, plus more for the pans
¼ cup/60 milliliters cream of coconut
4 large eggs
¼ teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/270 milliliters unsweetened coconut milk
FOR THE FILLING AND SIMPLE SYRUP:
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons/57 grams unsalted butter
1 tablespoon cream of coconut
1 cup/85 grams sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup/101 grams granulated sugar
FOR THE ICING:
1 cup/240 milliliters heavy cream
¼ cup/31 grams confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 cups/170 grams sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each with parchment paper. Grease the Pans again and then dust with flour, tapping out excess.
Finely grind the coconut in a food processor, then transfer to a bowl. Add pecans to the food processor, along with 2 tablespoons sugar, and finely grind them.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in coconut and pecans.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, cream of coconut and the remaining sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add eggs Individually at aM, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary, then beat in coconut extract.
Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the coconut milk, starting and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter between the pans and smooth the top of each with a spatula. Bake until cakes are golden and a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes
Let cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake, invert onto rack, and remove the parchment. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Place egg yolks in a small heatproof bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, combine condensed milk, butter and cream of coconut and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until hot, about 4 minutes. Whisk 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg yolks. Transfer egg mixture to the saucepan of milk and whisk constantly over medium-low heat until mixture has the consistency of pudding, about 4 minutes. Do not let the custard get too thick. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the shredded coconut. Let cool completely.
***I did not add the simple syrup, but this is the next step- Make the simple syrup: In a saucepan, heat sugar and 1/2 cup water, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
Assemble the layer cake in a pan: Cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one layer in the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan, moisten the top with 2 to 3 tablespoons simple syrup and spread 1/2 cup of the coconut filling in a thin, even layer with an offset spatula. Repeat to make 2 more layers of cake and filling, then place the last layer on top. Refrigerate cake for about 1 hour. To unmold, run a spatula around the edges, invert a cake plate over the top, and flip the cake over onto the plate.
Make the icing: Whip the cream with the confectioners’ sugar and coconut extract until stiff peaks form. Spread on the top and sides of the cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.*i added the untoasted coconut to the actual frosting and it was delicious… poSsible modification…