Alton Brown's Coconut Cake With 7 Minute Frosting

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 14 1/4 ounces cake flour (3 cups)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (fresh)
• 1/2 cup coconut cream (fresh)
• 8 ounces unsalted butter, room temp
• 16 ounces sugar (2 1/4 cups)
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/3 cup coconut water
• 3 large egg whites
• 12 ounces sugar (1 3/4 cups)
• 1/3 cup coconut water
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350.
• 2 lightly oil two 9" round pans and line with parchment paper. spray paper with a little additional oil.
• 3 whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
• 4 combine coconut milk and cream in a separate bowl.
• 5 cream the butter in a 3rd bowl (i know, i know) til fluffy (1 min.) and then gradually add sugar at a low speed. after sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and cream about 2-3 minutes until it's lighter in color and texture.
• 6 turn speed back to low and add flour mixture and milk mixture alternately in 3 additions. do not over mix!
• 7 in another bowl beat egg whites until stiff and then slowly fold into the batter. you'll want to add a bit of the batter to the egg whites and then switch to adding the egg whites into the batter bowl.
• 8 divide batter evenly between two bowls and bang on the counter to remove air bubbles.
• 9 place on center rack and bake about 40 minutes or until light golden brown.
• 10 cool in pans for ten minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack.
• 11 once cakes have cooled, slice horizontally in half to form 4 layers. then brush or spray them with the coconut juice.
• 12 frosting: bring 1 quart water to a boil in a saucepan and decrease to maintain a simmer.
• 13 meanwhile, place egg whites, coconut water, sugar, salt and cream of tarter in a medium-sized bowl.
• 14 place bowl over the simmering water and immediately begin beating with hand mixer at slow speed for 1 minute, then high speed for another 5 minutes.
• 15 remove from heat and beat in coconut and vanilla extracts, beating for an additional minute.
• 16 allow frosting to sit for 5 minutes before using. allow about 3/4 cup frosting per layer, sprinkling about 1/2 cup coconut on top of each frosted layer. repeat until the final layer and frost top and sides with last of the frosting and coconut.