Coconut Lemon Layer Cake

• Vegetarian

• Produce

  • 1 Lemon, Zest of

• Refrigerated

  • 1 Coconut flakes and speckled eggs, Toasted
  • 1 Egg plus, large
  • 5 Egg whites, large

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/2 tbsp Baking powder
  • 1 1/8 cup Cake flour
  • 2 tsp Cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Lemon extract
  • 3 drops Pastel gel coloring
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 2 1/2 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract, pure

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 1 tsp Coconut extract
  • 3 oz Cream of coconut
  • 2 tbsp Cream of coconut

• Dairy

  • 30 tbsp Butter, unsalted

Found on blahnikbaker.com

Description

Directions

• For Coconut-Lemon Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 6-inch round cake pans, line with parchment and grease parchment. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and egg whites. Whisk in the coconut cream, water and vanilla, coconut, lemon extracts into the egg mixture. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, zest of lemon, and salt. Using an electric mixer, mix on low for one minute. With mixer on low, add in butter, one piece at a time, and mixing until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute. Do not over mix. Add in half of the wet ingredients, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add in the remaining wet ingredients. Mix on low until combined, about 30 seconds. Stir batter once by hand with a rubber spatula (Do not over mix cake batter otherwise you will end up with a dense cake). Divide batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20-25 mins, rotating pans halfway through baking. (Do not over bake the cake. It will be dry and dense. Start checking the cake for doneness around 16 minutes. If you are using a bigger cake pan, adjust the time accordingly) Let cakes cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack. Meanwhile prepare the frosting. Wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and keep refrigerated or frozen for up to 2-3 days. Be sure to bring back to room temperature before frosting. For Swiss Meringue Coconut Frosting: Whisk together egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof mixing bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Whisk until warm and sugar is dissolved (mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingers), about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. With an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whip egg white and sugar mixture for 5 minutes over medium speed. Increase speed to medium-high, and whip until stiff, glossy peaks form and meringue has cooled (test by feeling bottom of bowl), about 6 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium speed, add butter, one piece at a time, beating well after each addition. Frosting might look separated at first but keep beating until it comes together. Be patient and it will come together (as long as you dissolved all the sugar in the previous step). Once the buttercream is smooth and silky (and not before), beat in the coconut cream, coconut extract and vanilla until combined, additional one minute. To assemble cake: Using a serrated knife, remove dome on cake layers. Slice each cake into two equal halves if you want a 4 layered cake as pictured. If not, continue to frosting. Place one layer of cake onto a cake platter. Spread about 1 cup frosting evenly. Place the second layer of cake on top of frosting. Spread the remaining frosting on top and the sides of the cake. Smooth frosting as evenly as possible and decorate as desired. For Speckling: Let cake chill for at least 30 minutes before speckling. In a small bowl, combine the vanilla extract and cocoa powder until smooth. Dip a paint brush in water and then into the cocoa mixture. Splatter all over the cake.Top cake with toasted coconut flakes and speckled eggs for decorations.