I started getting serious about cooking when I was 21 years old. I would take Bon Appétit magazine and read it cover to cover and then look up all the ingredients I didn't know the name of on the computer or the dictionary. As time went on I wanted to advance my skills and go to culinary school but I had children, by then, and couldn't devote that kind of time to cooking. That is where the Barefoot Contessa comes in. Ina Garten or the Barefoot Contessa was putting out cookbooks and had a TV show. I read every one of her cookbooks cover to cover and made every recipe I thought my family would eat. I learned so much (thank you Ina) and my family ate very well. Coconut Cake was one of those recipes that knocked my socks off and still does. I followed the recipe step by step and it was the best coconut cake I've ever had. I will link Ina's cookbook below.📸Kendall Oberto
Ingredients
- 3/4 (3 sticks) lbs unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 extra large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
- 4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
Frosting
- 1 lb cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 (2 sticks) lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 lb confectioners sugar, sifted
- 6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans, then line them with parchment paper. grease them again and dust lightly with flour.In a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium high speed for 3-5 minutes, until fluffy. crack the eggs into a small bowl then slowly add each egg one at a time, with the mixer on medium low speed. The mixture may look curdled; don't be concerned.In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixture on low speed, alternating add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in three parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. turn off the mixer and by hand fold in the 4 ounces of coconut.Pour the batter evenly into the two pans smoothing the tops with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45-50 minutes, until the tops are brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes on a cooling rack.To make the frosting, in a bowl use an electric mixer or stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners sugar slowly until just smooth. To frost and assemble. The cakes need to be completely cool. First place one of the cakes on the cake stand or plate you will be serving it on. Spread with half of the frosting (top and sides). Place second cake on top of the first cake and frost the top and sides. Sprinkle the top of the cake with coconut and lightly press coconut on the sides.Serve at room temperature.HAPPY EATING!!
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