Moist Coconut Cake

• servings: 12 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 43 minutes

Ingredients

2¼ cups flour (regular, all purpose)

¼ cup cornstarch (also known as cornflour)

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)

½ cup unsalted butter (room temp)

5 tbsp unflavoured vegetable oil

1⅔ cups white granulated sugar

3 large eggs (room temperature)

1½ tsps vanilla essence/extract

1 tsp coconut essence/extract (can substitute with 1/2 tsp almond essence/extract, see note 1)

1¼ cups canned coconut milk

1 cup shredded coconut (dried & unsweetened, also called threaded coconut)

1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

4½ cups icing sugar (also called powdered/confectioners sugar)

1½ cups cream cheese (cold, firm type, see note 2)

1½ tsps vanilla essence/extract

1 tsp coconut essence/extract (can substitute with 1/2 tsp almond essence/extract, see note 1)

1½ cups shredded coconut

Directions

Coconut Cake

Preheat oven to 160 °C (320°F) with the fan on (see note 3 if you don't have a fan function) and grease the bottom and sides of two 8 inch cake tins (mine are 3 inches deep), and also line the bottom of the tin with baking/parchment paper (see note 4).

In a bowl, sift together your flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk or fork, mix until well combined. Set aside.

In another large bowl, add in your butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine - see note 5), cream together for 2 minutes until lighter in colour.

Add in eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition (about 10-15 seconds between eggs).

Add in your vanilla, coconut essence/extract and half a cup of the coconut milk, and mix until well combined. Now set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.

Add in half of your premixed dry ingredients to your wet mixture, and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Then add in the remaining 3/4 cup of coconut milk, and fold it in until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold it into the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix (see note 6).

Finish off by adding in the shredded coconut and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.

Distribute the batter evenly into the two 8 inch cake tins, and bake for 33 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Once baked, allow the cake layers to cool in the cake tins for about 15-20 minutes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack to completely cool before frosting with the coconut cream cheese frosting recipe below.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream your butter for a few minutes until it's light and fluffy. Either use a hand mixer or stand mixer on a medium high speed. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.

Add in the icing sugar in 3 batches while mixing on low. Ensure that each batch of icing sugar is mixed into the butter well before adding in the next batch.

Next add in your cold cream cheese, vanilla and coconut essence/extract. Mix just until the frosting is smooth. Avoid over-mixing (see note 7).

Frost cooled cake layers with the frosting (assembly instructions below). Once sliced, place any leftovers in an airtight container to ensure the cake stays moist.

Assembly

Trim off the caramelized edges of the cake layers if you wish (this is optional and not necessary).

Place a generous amount of frosting on your first cake layer and spread it out with an offset spatula or knife.

Place your next cake layer on top and spread out a generous amount of frosting on the top and sides. You can use a cake scraper to smooth out the sides (see video demonstration).

Cover the top and sides with the shredded coconut by gently pushing the coconut into the frosting.

Notes

Works with 9 by 1 1/2 pans

MAKE SURE TO DO THE PARCHMENT PAPER ON THE BOTTOM

Nutrition

• Calories: 672 kcal
• Total Fat: 43 g
• Saturated Fat: 28 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 115 mg
• Sodium: 493 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 114 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 41 g
• Protein: 10 g