Font Size:
  • A
  • A
  • A

E-mail This Page to Your Friends

x

All fields are required.

Separate multiple e-mail addresses with a comma

(i.e. sally@food.com, frank@food.com)

Sending E-mail

Sending E-mail

Or Do Not E-mail

Success!

A link to this page was e-mailed

White Coconut Cake

Tyler Florence

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence, 2008

Show: Dear Food NetworkEpisode: Thanksgiving Desserts

Rated: 2 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (47)

  • Cook Time:

    35 min

  • Level:

    Difficult

  • Yield:

    1 (4-layer) cake

Close

Times:

Prep
40 min
Inactive Prep
3 hr 0 min
Cook
35 min
Total:
4 hr 15 min
x

Select a Card Size

x

Add To My Recipe Box

Please limit to 20 characters

Adding Recipe

Adding Recipe

Or Do Not Add

Success

This recipe was added to your Folder_Name folder.

x

Add To My Recipe Box

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

Ingredients

Rum syrup:

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup light rum
  • Splash coconut extract
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 cups cake flour, plus more for pans
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
  • 2 cups baker's or superfine sugar
  • 4 whole eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • Splash coconut extract
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Coconut Buttercream, recipe follows
  • 1 cup sweetened flake coconut (long, lacy flakes)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Make the rum syrup. In a small saucepan heat the water, rum, coconut extract and sugar until the sugar dissolves completely. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat.

Sift together dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Line and grease 2 (9-inch) cake pans with butter then dust lightly with flour.

In a bench-top mixer (with the paddle attachment), cream butter and sugar until pale in color and light and fluffy - about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula then with the mixer on low add eggs 1 at a time. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk, coconut and vanilla extract and mix on low until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, scraping down the sides, if necessary. Once flour is fully incorporated stop the mixer.

Divide batter evenly amongst the 2 cake pans and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. When done, transfer cakes to wire racks and allow to cool completely.

Remove paper lining then carefully cut each cake in half horizontally using a bread knife. Remove the domed top off 1 of the halves so you have 3 flat disks and 1 domed disk (this will be the top layer).

Assemble the cake directly on your platter by layering 1 of the disks on the plate as a base. Using a pastry brush, wet the layer evenly with the rum syrup then spread with a 1/2-inch of coconut cream. Repeat this process of wetting and spreading until you reach the 4th top layer which will be the domed disk. Place on top and lightly wet the entire cake with remaining rum mixture. Cover the rest of the cake with the frosting and sprinkle all over with coconut flakes.

Set in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.

Coconut Buttercream:

  • 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 pounds (about 8 cups) confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon coconut extract
  • 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch kosher salt

In a stand mixer fitted with whip attachment, whip the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, until fully incorporated. Add the coconut and vanilla extracts and pinch salt and blend just until incorporated. Refrigerate until needed, but no longer than 20 minutes.

Next Recipe

More recipes? Try these recommendations:

Jamie's Coconut Cake

Similar Recipe

Jamie's Coconut Cake

Similar Recipes

Recipe Collections

Showing 1-10 of 14

View all 14 Cake Collections

Read more Comments & Reviews (47)

Comments & Reviews

  • recipe White Coconut Cake
    Diana Sheboygan, WI 05-04-2009

    Flag

    one good thing

    Rated: 1 stars out of 5
    The simple syrup was the only good thing in this recipe. I used a white boxed cake and added a splash of coconut flavoring... to the mix. I made my own buttercream icing with coconut flavoring as well. This recipe was awful.Read more
  • recipe White Coconut Cake
    N Fort Wayne, IN 03-28-2009

    Flag

    Recipe now correct and wonderful!

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    I too was very upset when the initial posted recipe did not match the thanksgiving special, but it is now correct and boy am... I glad! This cake was way more work than I usually put into a cake but I made it for my MIL's bday and she almost cried because it was so pretty and then she tasted it and loves me even more!! It is worth the effort and I will be making this again and again exactly as printed!! YUM!Read more
  • recipe White Coconut Cake
    Debbie Charlotte, NC 01-02-2009

    Flag

    YUMMY

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    I loved this cake! This was the first cake I ever baked from scratch. It was so easy and so good! The frosting may be too... sweet for some people, but I have a major sweet tooth and it was perfect for me! Read more
  • recipe White Coconut Cake
    CARA Forked River, NJ 12-11-2008

    Flag

    Half a disapointment?

    Rated: 2 stars out of 5
    I was very excited to try this recipe for a friend's birthday after I saw it on the Thanksgiving special, but after reading... the reviews, I had some reservations about trying it. I decided to use Ina Garten's recipe from a cookbook I have, but use Tyler's icing recipe. The icing is just awful!!!! Not only is the flavor too strong and too sweet, but the consistancy is like cement. I had a hard time icing the sides of the cake, everything just kept pulling away. I tasted some scraps I had from the baked cake and the subtle sweetness of the cake cuts the sweetness of this icing recipe. I kinda feel like I ruined Ina's recipe!! Atleast now I know that this whole recipe is a bust, and its a shame because I admire Tyler and his recipes greatly.Read more
  • recipe White Coconut Cake
    shawn lakewood, OH 12-10-2008

    Flag

    great cake

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    i saw this recipe on thanksgiving dessert and decided to try it. i caught the show after thanksgiving and the recipe here was... the same recipe on the show. i'm not really sure why folks are bitching about it. i tried the recipe as written and it turned out FANTASTIC!!! i decided to keep it in my folder. thanks Tyler.... :)Read more
  • recipe White Coconut Cake
    Shayna Hudson, FL 12-04-2008

    Flag

    I made this!

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    I'm 22 and I love to bake. When I saw this on tv I just had to try it. I do admit that it isnt the same recipe he did on... the show but it was still good. I altered it just a bit and it came out moist and just really good. My diabetic boyfriend loved it so much he almost ate the whole thing. Im glad he did this cake. I now have a coconut cake I can make that everyone lovesRead more
Flag This Review?Close

Please sign in to flag this review.

Not a member? Register now.

Advertisement
Advertisement