Coconut In or Out?

[mignardise]

Coconut Cupcakes....................doing a poll.

Can't figure out which one I want to keep as my standard.

Which do you prefer:

1.Coconut Cake with shredded coconut in the cake and cream cheese frosting w/ sprinkled coconut on top.

2.Vanilla Cake w/ cream cheese frosting and coconut sprinkled on top.

And there is always other variations.......

~7-min frosting

~toasted coconut sprinkled on top.

~coconut meringue buttercream

Mainly, I want to know if you prefer the specks of coconut in the batter. Some people think it's TOO much coconut w/ the extra coconut topping.

Thanx.

[pastrymama]

I like the coconut sprinkled on top, but I have never eaten coconut cake with cream cheese icing, so I am not sure about that part. I usually use Italian Meringue buttercream.

[CanadianBakin']

I have used an angel flake coconut in the batter and it seems to blend in with cake much nicer than a medium or shredded coconut. So if you're using angel flake, I like it in! And they're delicious with cream cheese icing.

It's funny you bring this up..just this week my husband asked me to make him a coconut cake with white fluffy icing. He said that the coconut was just on the sides, rather than inside, he thought, although he hadn't had it in years. Just suddenly had a hankering for it. So I made a yellow cake and guessed the "icing" was seven minute frosting and pressed a large ribbon shred coconut on the sides. It looked beautiful and I had guessed right. I'd never really had seven-minute frosting before but it's pretty yummy. Hard not to keep licking up the leftovers.

Edited May 6, 2006 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[atcake]

Coconut in the cake, but add a pineapple-rum curd and ice in the cream cheese or butter based buttercream.

[SweetSide]

Coconut must go in the cake. If someone tells me coconut cake, I want coconut cake. I run angel flake through the food processor. It also keeps the cake moist.

Then for icing, there are alternatives -- coconut swiss meringue buttercream, 7 minute, lemon buttercream. Sometimes I press large toasted flakes into the side (more elegant), sometimes untoasted angel flake (more homey).

[Cook456]

No question.

Coconut in the cake and sprinkled on top!

This is Ina Garten's standard : her absolutely fabulous coconut cupcakes with cream cheese frosting , sold at her Barefoot Contessa Store.

I made these for dessert for Easter and they were superb!

Stick with both..believe me...

Edited May 6, 2006 by Cook456 (log)

[Tweety69bird]

I say the cupcake with coconut in the cake, and sprinkled on top. If you describe it as coconut, then let it be coconut. If you only sprinkle the coconut on top, you will surely upset someone along the way... I'm finding more and more coconut fans along the way and I think they would all choose the one with more coconut in it.

[mignardise]

Thanks for the replies.

Looks like coconut in the cake for most palates.

[shaloop]

Another vote for in the cake and on the cake. I also like some kind of coconut flavor to the cake as well. (extract or cream of coconut or coconut milk or something.)

[fodgycakes]

I like untoasted flake coconut in the cake and toasted coconut for sprinkled on top.

[mignardise]

Yeah... I make two versions....

One w/ coconut milk and coconut extract....just a hint of coconut flavors in the batter. Coconut meringue buttercream, toasted coconut on top.

The other is coconut in the batter, then cream cheese frosting and coconut topping.

It's hard to decide to stick w/ one only. I've got the friends and family routing for both.