Ambrosia Layer Cake
Total Time: 2 hrs
Preparation Time: 1 hr
Cook Time: 1 hr
Ingredients
- Servings: 10
- 2 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising, sift before measuring)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large whole eggs, at room temperature for 30 minutes
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest, finely grated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons orange zest, finely grated
- 1 (7 ounce) bag sweetened flaked coconut (2 2/3 cups)
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Recipe
- 1 make cake:.
- 2 put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°f butter and flour cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
- 3 sift together flour (2 3/4 cups), baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
- 4 beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer (fitted with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. beat in eggs 1 at a time, then beat in zest and vanilla and continue beating 5 minutes more. reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and milk alternately in 4 batches, beginning with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth. divide between cake pans, spreading evenly.
- 5 bake cake layers until they begin to pull away from sides of pans and a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. cool 5 minutes in pans on racks, then invert cake layers onto racks and cool completely. (leave oven on for toasting coconut.)
- 6 make filling while layers bake.
- 7 whisk together eggs in a heatproof bowl until combined well.
- 8 with clean dry whisk, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, then whisk in water and juices until smooth. bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, then reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer, whisking constantly, 2 minutes (mixture will be thick).
- 9 add half of hot juice mixture to eggs in a slow stream, whisking, then whisk egg mixture into juices in saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, whisking, just until it reaches a boil. remove pan from heat, then add butter and zest, whisking until butter is melted. chill filling, its surface covered with a buttered round of wax paper (buttered side down), until cold, about 30 minutes.
- 10 make frosting.
- 11 spread coconut in a shallow baking pan and toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
- 12 beat together egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt in a large metal bowl with a handheld electric mixer (clean beaters if necessary) until combined. set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and beat mixture at high speed until it holds stiff, glossy peaks, 5 to 7 minutes. (humid weather may necessitate additional beating time.) remove bowl from heat, then add vanilla and lemon juice and continue beating until frosting is cooled and very thick, 6 to 10 minutes.
- 13 assemble cake:.
- 14 halve each cake horizontally with a long serrated knife. put 1 layer on a cake stand or large plate and spread with about 3/4 cup filling. stack remaining cake layers using about 3/4 cup filling between each layer. spread top and side of cake with frosting and coat cake with coconut, gently pressing to help it adhere.
- 15 cooks' notes: cake layers (not split horizontally) can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, wrapped individually in plastic wrap. filling can be chilled up to 8 hours. stir before spreading. frosting can be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered. cake can be assembled and frosted 2 hours ahead.
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