Recipe of Today: Coconut Lemon Cake

Ingredients: 

For the Vanilla Butter Cake:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Boiled Frosting:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups water
• 2 tbsps light corn syrup
• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

To Garnish:

• 2-3 cups flaked coconut

Instructions:

To Make the Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans and set aside.

• In your Kitchenin KM50 Stand Mixer, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Then add egg yolks one at a time, whisking well after each addition.

• Get a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Add one-third of the mixture to the butter and beat on low speed until fully incorporated. Add 1/2 of the milk and mix well. Repeat with the other 1/3 of the mixture, then the other half of the milk and vanilla extract, then the remaining third of the flour mixture, stirring well after each addition, scraping down the bowl as needed.

• Whip egg whites and salt until stiff peaks. Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the cake batter and whisk to lighten. Then fold the remaining protein.

• Divide batter between the two cake pans. Smooth the tops. Bake for 30-38 minutes, or until a straw inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed with your fingertips.

• Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out onto the rack to finish cooling completely.

• When the cakes are completely cool, you can trim them to flatten them. Line a cake pan with three or four strips of parchment or wax paper to protect the pan while frosting and decorating the cake. Place a neatly trimmed cake in the center of the cake.

• Add the lemon curd to the center of the cake and spread to within 3/4 inch of the edges. Lay the second trimmed cake on top of the first. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour to help it set.

To Make the Boiled Frosting:

• Place sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy pot over medium heat. Stir constantly until it clears, then remove the spoon from the pot and bring to a boil. Instead of stirring it, heat the mixture to 240°F on a thermometer. When it comes to a boil, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks. When the syrup reaches temperature and the egg whites are at soft peaks, keep your stand mixer on low speed and slowly pour in the syrup, whisking constantly. Turn the speed up and whip up to hard peaks.

To Frost and Garnish the Cake:

• With the plastic wrap removed, pile the cooked frosting on top of the cake and spread the sides with a spatula. While rotating the cake pan, even the top and sides of the frosting. Press a handful of coconut flakes on the side and sprinkle evenly on top. The cake can be sliced and eaten right away, or refrigerated and covered lightly before serving. Enjoy!