Coconut Cream Cake

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour three 8×2 inch round pans.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside

Step 3

In another bowl, add the buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, and coconut extract.  Set aside..

Step 4

In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.

Step 5

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid). After the last addition, slightly increase the mixing speed until combined.

Step 6

Do not mix above medium speed or over mix the cake batter.

Step 7

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. Let cool 10 minutes and turn out.

Step 8

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and set aside.

Step 9

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch  and salt.  Whisk to blend.

Step 10

Gradually stir in the milk and coconut milk.

Step 11

Cook over medium heat stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.

Step 12

Bring the mixture to a simmer.  Remove from the heat. Spoon 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the bowl holding the egg yolks, stir constantly. You are tempering the eggs so you will not have scrambled eggs when you pour them into the simmering saucepan.  Pour this into the saucepan, whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken.

Step 13

When it begins to thicken, remove from the heat, add the vanilla and coconut extract plus the cup of flaked coconut.  Remember the filling will thicken even more as it cools.

Step 14

Pour pastry cream into a heat proof bowl or small flat casserole dish (for faster cooling.  Let it cool a bit then cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap against the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until the cream is throughly cold before using.

Step 15

Freeze your mixing bowl and beaters 15 minutes before whipping the cream (30 minutes if chilling in the refrigerator.

Step 16

Use the whisk attachment for a stand mixer, or beaters on your hand mixer.  Beat the cream until stiff peaks form. This can happen very quickly so don't walk away from the mixer.  You are at the stiff peak stage when you lift the beater and the cream stands straight up forming a peak or falls over slightly. Keep in the refrigerator while completing the next step.

Step 17

In another bowl combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, coconut extract, and vanilla.  Beat until very smooth.  Fold this into the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate.  If you are piping this frosting and it becomes too soft, just refrigerate the filled piping bag for a short while.