Coconut Raspberry Cake

Coconut Cake

• 1 1/2 cup cake flour (*spooned and leveled, see note below)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened, room temp
• 3/4 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk, room temp
• 2 tsp coconut extract
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large egg whites, room temp
• pinch of cream of tartar

Raspberry Jam Filling

• 6 oz fresh raspberries
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp raspberry jam (I use Bonne Maman)
• 1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tbsp water
• pinch of salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 12 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350. Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and until smooth. vanilla and coconut extracts, mix until smooth.
2. Sift all dry ingredients in a separate medium size bowl. Be sure to shake your coconut milk well before measuring and pouring. I sometimes use my immersion blender to better mix the coconut chunks and water. With the mixer on low, alternate pouring in the flour and coconut milk and mix until almost combined.
3. In a medium size bowl, with a hand mixer (or stand mixer with whisk attachment works) begin whipping the egg whites and the cream of tartar. (I whip the whites at medium and then high speed). You want to have medium stiff peaks. You can test the peak stiffness by pulling up the handheld mixer out of the whites to see if the egg whites lift with the mixer AND if they stay in place (thats how you know!). Then gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter. Fold until the whites are fully incorporated into batter, we don’t want streaks of egg whites (this could take a few minutes, because you want to go gently and slow).
4. Divide batter (I use a scale to measure evenly) into three 6 inch pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray and lined with parchment paper. Before placing in the oven, give each pan a good tap on the counter (this helps with releasing air bubbles and to help even out the batter in the pan). Bake all three cakes until a toothpick comes out with a few wet crumbs or clean, about 18-20 min. (Ovens vary, so keep your eye on the cakes. Baking could take less time.)
5. When cakes are baked, let them cool and come to room temperature. I then like to wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze for a day or several (this makes for a cleaner frost job and, in my opinion, tastier cake!). If you are not freezing, let cakes cool completely, then run a knife along the cake a few times to loosen.If freezing, wrap and freeze the cakes in their pans. When ready to frost, remove cakes from the freezer about an hour before assembly. Then flip the cakes onto a flat surface and pull the pan up and off (note: you make need to run a knife again to help loosen the cakes!)
6. For the raspberry jam, over medium heat, add raspberries, lemon, zest, salt sugar to a medium size saucepan. Cook until raspberries break down, and then add your jam, cornstarch and water. (Note, I mix my cornstarch and water first in a small bowl, before pouring into the pan) Cook for another 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and then cool to room temperature. (see more notes below!)
7. For the cream cheese frosting, using a stand or handheld mixer, beat butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix everything until you get desired consistency.
8. To assemble your cake, cut the top dome off of each cake so that the top is flat. Place your first cake disc/layer on a plate or cake drum. Spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting and then with a piping bag, pipe a thick log like trail of frosting around the out perimeter of the cake. Spoon in half of the jam and spread out to the log. The log of frosting serves as a damn to keep the jam from spilling over (see pic). Once jam is poured, top with another layer and repeat the process.
9. Once layers are stacked, using an offset spatula knife or rubber spatula is fine, begin frosting your entire cake. I start with the top, smooth out an even layer and then begin working around the sides. You can use a bench scraper to smooth out the sides and top. Frost job doesn’t need to be perfect as you will coat the entire cake with shredded coconut. For this, I start with spreading the coconut on the top of the cake, then go up the sides to get everything coated with the coconut. Refrigerate the cake until you are ready to serve. Cake should sit out for at least 2-3 hours before eating, this makes for the best texture! Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days!

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