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Layer Cake with Coconut and Mango Curd, Coconut, and Cream

from Coconut Desserts by Lori Longbotham
Layer Cake with Coconut and Mango Curd, Coconut, and Cream

Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lime zest
1 cup whole milk
5 large egg whites at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 fresh coconut
Luscious coconut and mango curd
1 1/4 cups heavy (whipping) cream
2 tablespoons confectoners' sugar

This and many other wonderful recipes may be found in Coconut Desserts
by Lori Longbotham from Chronicle Books

 



I love a tall layer cake, and this one is very pretty. It does take some time to prepare, but you can do much of the work in advance. Make the curd and toast the coconut, then bake the cake early in the day and put it together at the last minute. If you are pressed for time, instead of fresh coconut, you can use about 2 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut to coat the cake, but the result will be sweeter.

1. To make the cake: Position a rack in middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

3. Beat the sugar, butter, and lime zest with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large deep bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1/4 cup of the milk and beat just until blended. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the remaining 3/4 cup milk in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary and beating just until blended.

4. Beat the egg whites with clean beaters on medium speed in a large deep bowl just until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to mediumhigh, and beat just until the egg whites hold stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted. With a whisk or a rubber spatula, fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. (Leave the oven on if you are planning to toast the coconut, and adjust the racks so they are in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.) Run a table knife around the sides of the pans, and carefully turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely.

6. Meanwhile, open the coconut, remove the meat from the shell, and remove the peel with a vegetable peeler (see page 9). Rinse the coconut and dry with paper towels. Cut enough coconut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler (see page io) to measure 2 1/2 cups (reserve the remaining coconut for another use).

7. Cut each cake into two layers with a long serrated knife. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with one-third of the coconut and mango curd, spreading it to about 1/2 inch from the edges. Repeat with two more cake layers and top with the fourth layer.

8. Beat the cream with an electric mixer on mediumhigh speed in a large deep bowl until it holds soft peaks when the beaters are lifted. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until the cream holds stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted.

9. Frost the top and the sides of the cake with the whipped cream. Using your palms, press some of the coconut onto the sides of the cake and cover the top with the remaining coconut. Serve immediately, cut into wedges.


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