Moist and Delicate Coconut Layers Cake with Coconut pastry cream filling plus fresh raspberries and blueberries with coconut cream cheese butter-cream, topped with chocolate ganache

Wherever there are baby showers and birthday parties,  cake and cupcakes are involved. It depends on how many adults or kids are in the party if you are going to either have cake or cupcakes prepared. I am a big fan of both… seems I go for cupcakes more often because I can control the amount of what I am eating :) … One or one more sometimes wouldn't be a problem if I have my favorite cupcake.

Cupcakes are easy to clean and good quantity control for a party that has kids around. No problem with not enough cake!!  When you know exactly how many kids and adults are gonna be there, you might have a few more if someone wants to go for another cupcake.

I got invited to two parties this weekend- one is a baby shower for my friend Orapin Furman and another one is birthday party for one of my friend (Nok's son-  Quince) . I am planing to bake a cake for the baby shower and bring cupcakes to Quince's birthday party.  

I made white cake cupcakes before with a vanilla frosting topped with Olaf characters for decoration. That time I chose " The Best White Cake Recipe " from Add A Pinch (addapinch.com).  I love this recipe because it is so moist.

Orapin loves my coconut cake. This time I want to create something new, so I'm trying to combine this best white cake recipe with coconut flavor.

A lot of coconut has to be used in this recipe:

- Buttermilk made from coconut milk
   The same way as homemade buttermilk.
   * 1 cup coconut milk
      2 tablespoon vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon
- Coconut oil
   When you use coconut oil substitute with butter, you can substitute the same equal amount with butter. For example, if the recipe requires 3/4 cup of butter, you can sub with 3/4 cup of coconut oil.
   If you want to think about fat and water that are involved:
   *  Butter is 80% of milk fat and 20% of water. You can substitute coconut oil with 3/4 cup of butter required in the recipe. So 3/4 cup equal 6 tablespoon.  You can use 5 tablespoons coconut oil plus 1 tablespoon liquid as water or milk. In this recipe I choose milk .
- Coconut extract to add some more flavor into it.

The outcome is moist and delicate texture with a compound coconut flavor.   This coconut cake is a delight- like having real coconut in your mouth.  

Not enough coconut ….. Let's go crazy with it …. Go Coconut!!!!

I add coconut pastry cream filling plus fresh raspberries and blueberries with coconut cream cheese buttercream, topped with white chocolate ganache and shredded coconut. This cake " sounds better than heaven with a Caribbean vacation" Chef Janet Burnette commented about this cake.

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons butter, room temperature
5   tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Steps

Preheat oven 350 degree

Coat three 9 inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray or with butter and flour.

In the medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
For wet ingredients: In the small bowl with coconut milk and vinegar use fork whisk together well. Set on a side. In the measuring cup, whisk together milk, vanilla extract, coconut extract and coconut mixture. Set aside.   (set aside, not set on aside)

In the mixing bowl with the paddle attachment on medium speed: mix cream butter, coconut oil and shortening until light and fluffy. Slowly add sugar- two tablespoon at a time, until it is incorporated. Add room temperature eggs one at a time, making sure to scrape on the side after each egg is incorporated.

With the low speed gently add dry ingredients to the mixture and  switch with wet ingredients, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Gently scrape down the mixture, making sure all ingredients are mixed well.

Evenly pour the mixture in each pan. Gather each pan to the big baking sheet with the wet towel wrapped around the pan (see note). Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow cake pans cool for at least 15 minute on the wire rack. (allow not around)

Notes

- Wrap the wet towel around the pan to prevent the cake popping in the middle of the batter- it makes the cake come out evenly and easy to frost.

- If you don't use the wet towel, you can bake approximately for 25-30 minutes.

- For cupcakes, bake approximately 18 minutes.

Delightful coconut cream cheese buttercream

Delightful coconut cream cheese buttercream

ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened or at room temperature
1 package or 8 ounces cream cheese, chilled
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Steps

Mix coconut milk, vanilla extract and coconut extract together well with fork. Set aside.

In the mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until it is light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar one tablespoon at a time. Make sure every 1 minute to stop the mixer and scrape down the mixture. Repeat until the confectioners' sugar is all added to the mixture. Add the wet ingredients, gradually pour it over the mixture on low speed for 5 seconds then higher to medium speed until smooth and fluffy.

Note

You can make this buttercream ahead for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Make sure to take the buttercream out off the fridge 1 hours before use.

Coconut Pastry Cream filling

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup Sugar  
 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
pinch of salt
4 egg yolks

Steps


In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla extract to just boil until you see a little bubbles . Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, salt and egg yolks. Slowly add the milk to prevent the egg yolks cook, whisking constantly. Keep adding small amount of milk until finished. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick, in about 45seconds until 1 minute. Transfer pastry cream to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until cool.

Coconut Syrup

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract


steps

In the small sauce pan over medium heat, bring coconut water and sugar to boil. Wait until start bubble, take it out off the heat. Add coconut extract, whisk until it combine.  

White Chocolate Ganahce

Ingredients

6 oz white chocolate
5 tablespoons condensed milk

In the medium bowl with white chocolate over a double boiler, stir in the condensed milk. Set aside.

Assemble the cake:
Cut three cakes in even layers. Dap the buttercream on the cake stand ( 2 tablespoons ), put the first layer on top of the buttercream. Brush first layer with coconut syrup, spread 1 cup of coconut pastry cream filling on top. Gradually layer raspberries on to coconut pastry cream filling. Cover with the second layer of cake. Repeat this with remaining 3 layers, switching raspberries and blueberries in between each layer.

Once your cake is assembled, crump coat your cake before you cover with coconut cream cheese buttercream.

Decorate from your own style !!!!

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