Coconut cake can be made with a white or yellow layer cake base, shredded coconut in the batter and frosting, and a fruit filling. Some recipes call for coconut milk or cream, and frosting options include seven-minute frosting or cream cheese-based frosting. Popular fillings include lemon, raspberry, or strawberry jam, and chocolate or raspberry toppings can be added for extra flavor.
Any cake that contains coconut in its batter, filling, or frosting could be called a coconut cake. Regardless of the name, however, coconut’s distinctive flavor and texture make it easily noticed by anyone eating a cake with coconut. There are many variations of coconut cake, and bakers can find recipes that will really change the flavor of the cake. Many popular versions are two-layer cakes that use shredded coconut in the batter and frosting and another fruit, such as strawberries or raspberries, in the filling between the layers. Some recipes also call for coconut milk.
Batter
The base of many coconut cakes is a plain white or yellow layer cake. White is generally preferred because the light color of the cake has great visual appeal when paired with shredded coconut. These mixes are available in grocery stores or bakers can make them from scratch. Many coconut cake recipes call for shredded coconut to be added to regular cake batter. Some people recommend using coconut milk or coconut cream instead of liquids like water or milk.
Sometimes, a coconut pie is called a poke pie. After baking the layers, the baker can poke holes in the cake and pour coconut milk or coconut cream over the infused layers. The liquid will flow into the holes, transferring the coconut flavor throughout the cake and making it extra moist.
Grinding
How a coconut cake is frosted will depend on the recipe. A fairly traditional recipe for frosting is the seven-minute frosting: a combination of whipped egg whites and heated corn syrup or sugar and water. This makes for a very fluffy glaze to which shredded coconut can be added before it is spread over the cake. Some bakers don’t add the coconut to the frosting, but instead sprinkle it around the frosted cake, pressing it into the top and sides. The seven-minute glaze is gooey and will easily hold most of the shredded coconut in place.
Another type of frosting that some people prefer on coconut cake is a cream cheese-based frosting. This is thicker than the seven-minute frosting types and imparts a tarter flavor, which can be an excellent contrast to sweet cake and coconut flakes. Some cake recipes use sour cream cake, which helps provide more of this contrast.
Filling
Coconut cake is typically made as at least a two-layer cake, and some people like to use a contrasting filling instead of frosting as a filling. Lemon filling or raspberry or strawberry jam are some of the more popular types of filling between layers. If the cake is iced and filled with only one frosting, some people like to add chocolate sauce or raspberry topping for added flavor. Each forkful of fluffy pie can also be dipped in sauce or toppings, making for a decadent dessert.
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