Jamie's Coconut Cake

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Show: Food Network SpecialsEpisode: Paula's Southern Christmas

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (96)

Cook Time:
1 hr 0 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
16 to 20 servings

Times:

Prep: 45 min
Inactive Prep: 10 min
Cook: 1 hr 0 min
Total:: 1 hr 55 min

Recipe Tools:

Select a Card Size

Add To My Recipe Box

Success

This recipe was added to your Folder_Name folder.

Do not show this message again

Add To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to add this recipe to your Recipe Box.

Ingredients

Basic 1-2-3-4 Cake with coconut milk:

2 sticks butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups sifted self-rising flour
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup flaked, sweetened coconut

7-Minute Frosting:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups coconut, flaked and sweetened
Artificial holly, optional garnish

Cake:

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and coconut milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4-inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks.

Filling:

Stir together sugar, sour cream, milk, and coconut in a bowl until well blended. Add first cake layer onto pedestal. Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon, poke holes approximately 1-inch apart until entire cake has been poked. Spread a third of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again.

Cook's Note: As each layer is stacked, stick them with toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting.

Frosting:

Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with coconut. Garnish with artificial holly, if desired.

Next Recipe

More recipes? Try these recommendations:

Similar Recipe

Chocolate-Glazed Tea-Cakes

Photo: Jamie's Coconut Cake

Similar Recipes

Recipes Like This

All About…

Recipe Collections

Showing 1-10 of 14

View all 14 Cake Collections

Comments & Reviews

recipe Jamie's Coconut Cake
Libby Kent, WA 02-08-2010
Flag

Loved this cake!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this for a special dinner for my husband and a out of town guest. The guest is an amazing chef. I worried for days... before the dinner about what I was going to serve, Both the dinner and this dessert were winners. My guest even asked for this recipe. We just finished the cake two days ago, but I want to make it again! Read more
recipe Jamie's Coconut Cake
Charlotte Mill Valley, CA 01-01-2010
Flag

Cake was not the greatest
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

Perhaps I did something wrong, but the frosting was bizarre. It came out very liquidy and marshmallowy-tasting. It was far... too sweet for my taste, and my husband agreed. The cake part was very good, though. It was moist and dense. I would not make it with this frosting again. The other comment is that there was a strange tinge to the flavor, and I had read that in other postings as well. I don't know what it was from, but it left an odd after-taste.Read more
recipe Jamie's Coconut Cake
Marilyn Signal Mtn, TN 12-29-2009
Flag

Really Good!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I made this cake exactly as the recipe stated. It was wonderful and moist. But, I gave it 4 stars because I agree that it... is too sweet...and I love sweets. Next time I will use unsweetened coconut. Also had a problem with the cake just falling apart when slicing. Not sure if it was something that I did wrong. Otherwise, a very good coconut cake!Read more
recipe Jamie's Coconut Cake
Suzanne Salt Lake City, UT 12-27-2009
Flag

Perfect for a party!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I agree that it may be too sweet, but this cake has awesome flavor! I recommend waiting until the cake layers are more than... just "cooled" 5 minutes before trying to handle them. The layers were really fragile while they were warm and I ended up breaking a couple of them apart while assembling. BUT when covered with the frosting and coconut, it didn't matter at all :) Once assembled and refrigerated, this cake travels very easily. I recommend: *Reducing the sugar and/or using unsweetened coconut *Cutting the frosting recipe in half because I ended up with a bowl nearly full of unused frosting. *Making this cake a day ahead - cake gets denser and better as it absorbs the filling.Read more
recipe Jamie's Coconut Cake
Robin ogden, UT 12-26-2009
Flag

Gluten Free too!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This coconut cake looked so delicious I just had to make it for Christmas guests. However, my daughter has celiac disease and... cannot eat gluten, a protein found in wheat, which included most baked goods. So I altered the cake part of the recipe and made it with a Gluten Free all purpose flour. Perfection! The cake came out moist, and the original filling and frosting recipes are so good, the cake was to die for. Every scrap was devoured by our friends and family. So celiac sufferers do not fear - small changes to these wonderful recipes will allow you to enjoy!!!!Read more
recipe Jamie's Coconut Cake
Alicia Memphis, TN 11-23-2009
Flag

Fantastic Flavor!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this recipe for the first time on yesterday. I have never made a coconut cake before, so I trusted Food Network to... help me out. I came across this recipe. I read all of the rave reviews and couldn't resist at least trying it. This cake turned out so GOOD and MOIST! I am eating a piece right now and it tastes even better today. The only thing that I would recommend is using unsalted butter because of the self-rising flour. Other than that I will be adding this recipe to my recipe box. Read more