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The World's Best Coconut Cake


Stone

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I agree, the crispy edges were great!

The cake tasted a lot better the next day, assembled, and having set in the fridge. It was well received at the BBQ as well, and I have two requests for the recipe. :smile: The biggest compliment came from someone who said it was one of the best cakes she's ever tasted. :biggrin:

Edited by Ling (log)
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  • 3 months later...

I'm looking for something similar to carrot cake, but a little more dense and gooey. I'm thinking if it had some texture (from desecated coconut) in it, that would be nice too.

It has to be sturdy enough to unmold from a flexipan.

Anyone have a recipe in the ballpark?

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Hum.........if you have a recipe you love, you could make a carrot cake with-out carrots, replace it with coconut.

My favorite coconut cake recipe comes from Iga Gartener (I hope I spelled her name right). I think I got it over on Martha S.'s site. It fits your description pretty well.......depending upon how you bake it.

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Maybe you could try replacing the almond meal in a financier recipe with coconut? Grinding the coconut in a food processor would give you a finer cake texture, unless you want the flakes to be noticeable.

Financier is definetely not the texture I'm looking for. I'm looking for something between a carrot cake and an almond joy candy bar.

Hum.........if you have a recipe you love, you could make a carrot cake with-out carrots, replace it with coconut.

My favorite coconut cake recipe comes from Iga Gartener (I hope I spelled her name right). I think I got it over on Martha S.'s site. It fits your description pretty well.......depending upon how you bake it.

Interesting idea simply substituting coconut in a carrot cake recipe...but Carrot imparts a lot of moisture, while dessicated coconut is basically a sponge. I would think that would lead to a less moist product. Did you mean fresh coconut? If so, have you tried this or seen it done before?

In any case, I'm off to search for that Gartener recipe. Thanks!

EDIT: Found the recipe, and it looks pretty solid. I'm going to maybe try and substitute half the buttermilk with coconut milk and give it a whirl.

Edited by Sethro (log)
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Ah, yes you can't use dissicated coconut (I don't even keep it around myself) as is, it is a sponge.

You can either moisten it by sprinkling h2o or try coconut milk until it becomes moist and sticky like the kind you find in grocery stores. Thats what I do if they accidently order in dry coconut at my work. I moisten it in a ziplock baggie............like if I was trying to color the coconut. Best yet, start with really moist coconut. I like the moist stuff you get at the grocery store...........it makes the best coconut baked goods, imo.

I know I descent from commonly accepted practices here, but I never/rarely use dissicated coconut. It's too dry!!! Only good for meringues. It has to take liquids away from your recipe to rehydrate. If not, you can't even taste it. I also don't like it's texture rehydrated as well as other moist consumer types of coconut.

Try a couple recipes comparing the two, I'll be shocked if you don't like the moist coconut more.

Also back to the carrot cake...........sans carrots.........it all depends upon your recipe. I make a super moist carrot cake that uses oil not butter and it isn't "cake like" it's very dense and moist.

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Ah, yes you can't use dissicated coconut (I don't even keep it around myself) as is, it is a sponge.

You can either moisten it by sprinkling h2o or try coconut milk until it becomes moist and sticky like the kind you find in grocery stores. Thats what I do if they accidently order in dry coconut at my work. I moisten it in a ziplock baggie............like if I was trying to color the coconut. Best yet, start with really moist coconut. I like the moist stuff you get at the grocery store...........it makes the best coconut baked goods, imo.

I know I descent from commonly accepted practices here, but I never/rarely use dissicated coconut. It's too dry!!! Only good for meringues. It has to take liquids away from your recipe to rehydrate. If not, you can't even taste it. I also don't like it's texture rehydrated as well as other moist consumer types of coconut.

Try a couple recipes comparing the two, I'll be shocked if you don't like the moist coconut more.

Also back to the carrot cake...........sans carrots.........it all depends upon your recipe. I make a super moist carrot cake that uses oil not butter and it isn't "cake like" it's very dense and moist.

Very good point...I don't know why I was stuck on the dessecated coconut track!

If it's not a familly secret, can you post your carrot cake recipe?

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My recipe is at work..........I tried to find it online where I orginally found it, but didn't have any luck. I'll post it asap.

Have you found the Gartner recipe at Marthas?

What are you pairing with this?

Iga's (maybe it's Inga?) recipe is a lightish colored cake where as my suggestion of a variation on a carrot cake will still be dark like a fruit bread.

The thing is, that moist coconut contains alot of sugar and most pro's want to control that by using a non-sweetended coconut.

The only recipe where I really notice the sugar level in the moist coconut is when I make coconut macaroons, I do adjust down the amount of sugar I use in that recipe.

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Ina Garten's coconut cupcake recipe

Here are some others you might be interested in trying:

Emeril's fresh coconut cake

coconut cake

coconut bundt cake

coconut pound cake

And lastly, I'm partial to this recipe, but I do make a few changes in my version. I scale down the ingredients for the cake by about a 1/4, as I like a higher ratio of filling to cake. Also, I increase the amount of sour cream by a few tablespoons, and use dessicated, unsweetened coconut in the filling. I prefer the finer texture.

Peninsula Grill coconut cake

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My recipe is at work..........I tried to find it online where I orginally found it, but didn't have any luck. I'll post it asap.

Have you found the Gartner recipe at Marthas?

What are you pairing with this?

Iga's (maybe it's Inga?) recipe is a lightish colored cake where as my suggestion of a variation on a carrot cake will still be dark like a fruit bread.

The thing is, that moist coconut contains alot of sugar and most pro's want to control that by using a non-sweetended coconut.

The only recipe where I really notice the sugar level in the moist coconut is when I make coconut macaroons, I do adjust down the amount of sugar I use in that recipe.

I found Ina's recipe last night, thanks. I'm going to test it tommorow, substituting coconut milk for buttermilk. Hopefully the change in acid levels doesn't majorly change the desired texture. I'll let you know the results, of course.

FYI that recipe actually calls for sweetened coconut flake, so it should be good to go as is.

Ina Garten's coconut cupcake recipe

Here are some others you might be interested in trying:

Emeril's fresh coconut cake

coconut cake

coconut bundt cake

coconut pound cake

And lastly, I'm partial to this recipe, but I do make a few changes in my version. I scale down the ingredients for the cake by about a 1/4, as I like a higher ratio of filling to cake. Also, I increase the amount of sour cream by a few tablespoons, and use dessicated, unsweetened coconut in the filling. I prefer the finer texture.

Peninsula Grill coconut cake

Thanks for the legwork! I'll check those out as well.

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I like the soaking the coconut with coconut milk idea

I tried the carrot cake theory awhile ago, in a way.

I made the parsnip cake recipe of Sam Masons, as it appeared to be in that vein, then I went back and made the recipe with coconut and it was too dry.

2317/5000

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I liked Ina's coconut cake, but after putting the leftovers in the frige, I found it to be too dense. The texture really changed. I'm not sure if letting it come back to room temp. would have solved this problem because I was having a sugar attack and had to have it now! Next time it sits on the counter until it's gone!

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OK, I just tried Ina's recipe.

First, I followed it to the tee, and it came out very moist, but not very "coconuty" and definetely not sticky.

Then I tried substituting coconut milk for buttermilk, and it came out noticeably worse, so scratch that. I think the solution for the flavor issue would be sticking with the buttermilk but adding a teaspoon or so of coconut extract.

Still, my main issue is the stickiness, or rather lack there of. I confess that I've never actually gone and tried to make a cake stickier, so I'm totally in the weeds.

I'm thinking about maybe just substituting some of the sugar with corn syrup or glucose, but I have absolutely no idea what that would do.

Anyone know anything about sticky-ing-up cakes?

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You might want to look at some sticky toffee pudding recipes and see if they can be adapted. They are usually served with a caramel sauce but it probably isn't necessary. Or some type of steamed pudding. I think those usually come out quite sticky too.

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

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I've been watching this thread for a couple of days and I have a recipe for a coconut carrot cake that everyone always loves. I just tell them it's carrot cake and don't tell them what kind of carrots. It calls for a 4 oz jar of baby food carrots! If you didn't like the idea of baby food, I suppose you could just steam some carrots and puree them in the food processor. It really is a very rich and filling cake and you just can't seem to stop eating it. If you would like the recipe, I can post it.

This is my first post here so I'm a bit nervous about posting a recipe when there are professionals around!!

Valerie

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I was flipping through an old issue of Bon Appetit today and Francois Payard had a really simple recipe for coconut cake. Basically, it was just coconut, sugar, and eggs (whisked over a double boiler, then combined with the coconut and sugar). I can post measurements tomorrow if you're interested. The cake baked, then layered with ganache.

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Thanks for the "unofficial" welcome, Seth!! Here is the humble recipe. You could add raisins if you wanted to, but that is probably a whole 'nother thread!!

Coconut Carrot Cake

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups sugar

4 oz. jar baby food carrots

1 cup oil

1 cup crushed pineapple w/juice

2 cups AP flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Mix all cake ingredients in large bowl until moist. Pour into 1-9 x 13 or 2-9-inch round oiled pans. Bake at 350 for 35 - 40 minutes or until it tests clean.

For Frosting: Combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating until smooth between each addition.

Cool cakes on rack. Frost then top with chopped walnuts. Can be served as is or frozen for later.

Serves 12

I hope you enjoy this. My family and co-workers love it.

On another note, I made the Coconut Cupcakes from Ina Garten for the 4th of July. I had coconut milk but no buttermilk. I substituted it straight across but put in a bit of vinegar because I was worried about not having the acid the original recipe called for. It worked great. Not sure that it was any better than the original recipe, but I liked the idea of using coconut milk to give it that extra punch of flavor. I also lightly toasted the garnish coconut. The adults went for those and they just kept getting better the longer they sat.

Valerie

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I was flipping through an old issue of Bon Appetit today and Francois Payard had a really simple recipe for coconut cake. Basically, it was just coconut, sugar, and eggs (whisked over a double boiler, then combined with the coconut and sugar). I can post measurements tomorrow if you're interested. The cake baked, then layered with ganache.

Mmmm that sounds like those Spanish style macaroons that are just milk, sugar, eggs and coconut. I would LOVE the measurements, please!

I also lightly toasted the garnish coconut. 

Valerie

I've been baking them in a fleximold, and lining the bottoms with a thin layer of toasted coconut. They're going to have the tops layered off and then be served inverted so they're nice and neat looking.

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Success! We have achieved stickiness.

I tweaked the Ina Gartener recipe to my liking. Here's what I wound up with:

Coconut Sticky Cake

12oz butter

1c sugar

1tsp salt

1c light corn syrup

5 eggs

1+1/2tsp vanilla extract

2tsp coconut extract

2c cake flour

1+1/2tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

1c buttermilk

12oz sweetened flake coconut

Spray release and sugar molds. Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter with sugar and salt.

Beat in Cornsyrup, followed by eggs and extracts.

Beat in 1/2 of the dry ingredients, followed by the buttermilk and then the remaing dry ingredients.

Fold in coconut flakes.

Bake for 24 minutes.

Cool, unmold and invert.

With this recipe I found no need to line the bottom of the molds with additional coconut. Additionally, the corn syrup seems to inhibit the height and doming enough so that its hardly necessary to level them. Yay!

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