Coconut Layer Cake Filled with Lemon Curd

I’ve been loving layer cakes recently. In the past I always felt like I needed a special occasion to make a layer cake. But I got some 6″ cake pans for Christmas this year. When you make a 6″ cake, it serves 8, which is perfect for a dinner party.

I also have the opinion that when making a layer cake, you might as well go all out and make it into 4 layers. I mean, seriously, who wants just two layers of cake when you can have four! What that really means is that you’ll have more layers of the good stuff – the filling!

We had friends M&M over for dinner and I served this cake for dessert. We all enjoyed the lightness of the cake. It was the perfect ending to the meal and would be great for any of the upcoming Spring holidays.

I used my go-to white cake recipe except used coconut extract in the cake. Then I filled the cake with some lemon curd and added toasted coconut to the outside of the cake. I love adding some garnish to the sides of a cake. Then it doesn’t matter how good or bad you are at frosting the sides of a cake.

In case you were wondering, a 6″ cake uses a half batch necessary for a 9″ cake. I always use my cupcake scoop to portion out batter. Nine inch cakes are equivalent to 12 cupcakes per layer and six inch cakes are equivalent to 6 cupcakes per layer. Note the recipe below is for a full sized 9″ two-layer cake. Cut in half for a 6″ double-layer cake.

I filled the cake with this lemon curd and used this vanilla buttercream frosting recipe.

One Year Ago: White Cupcakes and Spring M&M Pretzel Treats
Two Years Ago: Sugar Cookie Bars, Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Appetizers, and Fauxstess Cupcakes
Three Years Ago: Summer Squash

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Coconut Cake

Yield: 8

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), at room temperature
2 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp table salt
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened but still cool

Directions:

Set oven rack in middle position. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9" cake pans with parchment and butter.

Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended.

Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.

Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1½ minutes. Add remaining ½ cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.

Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.

Cool completely prior to frosting.

Recipe adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles

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11 Responses to “Apple Cranberry Cake-Pie”

  1. #
    1
    nutmegnanny — November 16, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    This looks so homey and delicious!

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    2
    lilybeth12 — November 16, 2009 at 9:39 pm

    RDQ: where should I add the cranberries? did you substitute them for the raisins? can i use fresh cranberries?

  3. #
    3
    Jen — November 17, 2009 at 12:04 am

    Sorry – I updated the recipe to reflect that I used dried cranberries in place of the raisins.

  4. #
    4
    Jane — November 22, 2009 at 12:29 am

    Looks just delicious! I’m crazy lately about cranberries too. Talk about a versatile fruit! I just used them this evening to make a cranberry-apple conserve that served as the sauce for almond-crusted pork tenderloin. It was a big hit.

  5. #
    5
    Lisa — November 22, 2009 at 3:09 am

    I also wonder if you can use fresh cranberries since they are in season!

  6. #
    6
    Jen — November 22, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    You could definitely make this with fresh cranberries if you wanted.

  7. #
    7
    Lisa — November 22, 2009 at 6:15 pm

    How long did you bake this if you halved it in a 8 by 8 pan? So excited to try it 🙂

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    8
    Jen — November 22, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    I think I started checking it at 30 minutes and left it in for about 45 based on the color of the top layer.

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    9
    Lucy — November 22, 2009 at 11:03 pm

    I’ve seen this recipe around before but it never fails to look so delicious! Gorgeous flavours 🙂

  10. #
    10
    Lisa — November 23, 2009 at 2:19 am

    Me again. It is DELICIOUS! I halved the recipe and used 1 cup of fresh cranberries, though I think I could have used more.

    Thanks so much!

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    11
    Jen — November 23, 2009 at 2:26 am

    Glad to hear it Lisa! I will definitely have to try this with fresh cranberries next time I make it.

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