Cakes - Southern living christmas coconut cake recipes

Author: April Kurylo  

Coconut shavings can be purchased in the bulk section of your local health food store or dried fruit section in the supermarket. The homemade lemon filling is a quick and easy stovetop stir-together that can also be used to fill tart shells.

Lemon-Coconut Cake

This bright and sunny layer cake was made to impress.
Provided by: Anna Theoktisto
Total time: 120 minutes
Yields: 0 servings
Number of ingredients: 20

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (8 ounces) salted butter, softened, plus more for pans
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 3 (about 12 ¾ ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (7 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut
• Lemon wedges, for garnish
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus ⅓ cup fresh juice (from 2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup (4 ounce) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to cook:

1. For the Lemon Filling: Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan; whisk in 1 cup boiling water. Cook over medium, whisking constantly, until sugar and cornstarch dissolve, about 2 minutes. Beat egg yolks in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk about ¼ of hot sugar mixture into egg yolks; add to remaining hot sugar mixture in pan, whisking constantly. Whisk in lemon zest and juice.
2. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is significantly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter; cool completely, at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
3. For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans.
4. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl if needed.
5. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
6. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form; about 6 minutes. Fold ⅓ of egg whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until blended. Spoon batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 22 to 28 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks, at least 1 hour.
7. For the Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended, about 3 minutes; stir in vanilla.
8. Assembly: Place 1 cake layer on desired serving platter or cake stand. Spoon ½ cup Cream Cheese Frosting into a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip (or a plastic bag with bottom corner cut off). Pipe a ½-inch ring of frosting around outer edge of cake layer. Spoon 1 cup Lemon Filling inside frosting ring, and spread evenly. Top with second cake layer, and repeat procedure with frosting ring and remaining 1 cup Lemon Filling. Place third cake layer on top; spread remaining Cream Cheese Frosting on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle sides of cake with coconut. Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.

Notes: Coconut Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting Recipe, Ingredients · 1 cup butter, softened · 6 ounces cream cheese, softened · 2 (16-oz.) pkg. powdered sugar · ¼ cup cream of coconut (such as Coco López) Cool: 1 hr 10 mins

Tags:

southern living christmas coconut cake

Four-Layer Coconut Cake

Coconut shavings can be purchased in the bulk section of your local health food store or dried fruit section in the supermarket.
Provided by: Southern Living Editors
Total time: 145 minutes
Prep time: 45 minutes
Yields: 16 servings
Number of ingredients: 14

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs
• 1 (6-oz.) package frozen flaked coconut, thawed
• 1 cup coconut shavings
• Coconut Filling
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

How to cook:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Beat first 6 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add extracts, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in flaked coconut. Pour batter into 4 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
2. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and let cool 1 hour or until completely cool.
3. Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 350°. Arrange coconut shavings in a single layer in a shallow pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally.
4. Spread Coconut Filling between layers, leaving a 1-inch border. Beat whipping cream at high speed until foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Spread on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top and sides of cake, pressing gently to adhere.

Notes: Southern Living's Lemon Coconut Cake Recipe, directions · Beat 1 cup butter at medium speed with electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add 2 cups sugar. · Combine flour and baking powder. · Beat egg whites

Coconut Cream Cake

Look for packaged coconut shavings in your grocer's natural foods section.
Provided by: Pam Lolley
Total time: 385 minutes
Yields: 12 servings
Number of ingredients: 28

Ingredients:

• FILLING
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
• CAKE LAYERS
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• Shortening
• ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Fluffy Coconut Frosting
• GARNISH
• Toasted coconut shavings

How to cook:

1. Prepare Filling: Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Whisk egg yolks and next 2 ingredients in a glass bowl. Gradually whisk egg mixture into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 6 to 7 minutes or until mixture just starts to bubble. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 more minute; remove from heat.
2. Whisk flaked coconut and next 3 ingredients into sugar-egg mixture; transfer to a medium bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on warm filling to prevent film from forming. Let stand 30 minutes; chill 4 to 24 hours.
3. Meanwhile, prepare Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°. Beat 1 cup butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add 2 cups sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
4. Stir together cake flour and next 2 ingredients in a bowl. Stir together milk and 1/2 cup coconut milk in a measuring cup. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. coconut extract. Spoon batter into 2 greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch cake pans.
5. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
6. Beat 1 cup heavy cream at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into chilled Filling.
7. Assemble cake: Split each layer in half horizontally with a serrated knife to make 4 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a serving platter; spread with 1 1/3 cups Filling. Repeat with remaining Cake Layers and Filling, ending with a Cake Layer, cut side down. Spread top and sides of cake with Fluffy Coconut Frosting.

Notes: Discover all Things Christmas at Southern Living, All the Great White Cakes of Southern Living - Southernliving. Recipe: Coconut-Lemon Cake with Lemon Filling and Fluffy White Frosting.

Coconut-Lemon Cake

This is a classic Christmas white cake in every way, with three golden yellow layers and a fluffy seven-minute frosting. The homemade lemon filling is a quick and easy stovetop stir-together that can also be used to fill tart shells.
Provided by: MyRecipes
Total time: 65 minutes
Prep time: 45 minutes
Yields: 1 item
Number of ingredients: 12

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• Lemon Filling
• Fluffy White Frosting
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• Garnishes: fresh cranberries, fresh boxwood sprigs

How to cook:

1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition.
2. Combine flour and baking powder; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla.
3. Beat egg whites and salt at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir about one-third of egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites. Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
4. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
5. Spread Lemon Filling between layers. Spread Fluffy White Frosting on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top and sides with coconut; garnish, if desired.
6. Note: Boxwood is poisonous if ingested. If boxwood sprigs are used as garnish, cut small circle of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and position in center of cake before arranging sprigs and cranberries on top of cake. Remove garnish before serving.

Notes: Classic Coconut Cake Recipe, Ingredients · 1 cup sugar · 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour · 1 cup milk · 2 large eggs, lightly beaten · 1 (6-oz.) package frozen flaked coconut, thawed