Coconut Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- Nonstick cooking spray
- All-purpose flour for dusting
- 2 cups sifted cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup "lite" coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
For the icing
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
For the cake assembly
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
- 1/2 cup strawberry preserves
- 4 cups (about 1 1/4 pounds) whole stemmed
- California strawberries
Instructions
- Cake: Place oven rack in bottom third of oven; heat oven to 350
degrees F. Spray two 8-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom
of each pan with a circle of parchment paper, spray the paper and dust inside
of each pan with all-purpose flour, tapping out excess.
- Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In bowl of electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter at medium
speed until soft and light. Add sugar and continue to mix about 5 minutes or
until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition
until completely mixed.
- On low speed, alternately add flour mixture in 3 additions and coconut milk
in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add extract and beat
at low speed until completely mixed.
- In clean bowl with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at high speed to soft
peaks. Gently fold one third of the egg whites into the batter; fold in remaining
egg whites gently but thoroughly.
- Divide batter between prepared cake pans and bake about 35 minutes or until
cake springs back when touched and wooden pick inserted into center comes out
clean.
- Cool on rack 5 minutes; run a small knife around edge of each pan and carefully
invert cake onto rack. Remove pan and cool cake completely; remove paper before
assembling cake.
- Icing: In small saucepan combine sugar, water and cream of tartar.
Bring to a boil, covered, over medium heat; do not stir. When sugar is completely
dissolved, uncover and boil 5 minutes longer.
- In bowl of electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at high
speed to soft peaks. Continue to beat while slowly pouring hot syrup onto egg
whites; add extract and beat until cool.
- To assemble cake: Spread 1/4 cup of the preserves on top of 1 cake layer.
Thinly slice 2 cups of the strawberries and arrange in 1 layer on top of preserves.
Spread remaining 1/4 cup preserves on bottom of second cake layer and invert
onto first layer. Spread icing on top and sides of assembled layers; pat coconut
onto sides of cake. Arrange remaining strawberries on top of cake, stem side
down.
Prep time: 25 min | Cook time: 45 min | Serves 8 to 10
Substitute white cake made from a mix; add 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract to
batter.
Substitute pre-made white frosting; add coconut extract to taste.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: 527 calories; 22 g fat; 101 mg cholesterol;
254 mg sodium; 79g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 6g protein
Recipe and photo credit (used with permission):
California Strawberry Commission