Coconut Cake with Pineapple Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

I love coconut. When Eric told me about some good news his office had received, I knew I had to make this cake. His boss loves coconut, so I knew I couldn’t go wrong. (*If you’re making this for a crowd and want to be sure that everyone can enjoy it, you can always leave off the coconut flakes on a portion of the cake.) This is the first coconut cake I’ve ever made, and I don’t think I’ll ever try another recipe. This cake was seriously that good. I love the subtle flavors of the coconut in the cake, and the frosting puts it over the top. It’s like taking a bite of a tropical breeze. The pineapple, lime and coconut blend together beautifully to form a cake that everyone (even the coconut haters out there) can enjoy. Since the filling tasted so fantastic, I decided to torte the cakes and put it in between each layer.

Coconut Cake with Pineapple Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for pans
3 cups cake flour, plus additional for pans
1 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cream of coconut
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
11/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large whole eggs
3 large egg whites
12 ounces cream cheese, not whipped
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lime zest
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup chopped, drained, canned pineapple chunks
5 1/2 ounces unsweetened or sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:
-Make cake: Preheat oven to 325° and line the bottom of 2 buttered 9×2-inch round cake pans with parchment.
-Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess flour.
-Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
-Whisk together cream of coconut, milk, and extracts in a bowl.
-Beat together butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-Add whole eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until combined well.
-On low speed, beat in flour mixture and cream of coconut mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until just combined (do not overbeat).
-Pour batter evenly into the prepared cake pans (about 2-3/4 cups per pan) and smooth tops.
-Bake cake layers in middle of oven until golden and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
-Transfer pans to racks and let cool for 5 minutes.
-Run a small knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Peel off paper, then invert layers right side up and cool.

-Make Frosting and Filling: Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy.
-Beat in butter and lime zest until smooth.
-Slowly beat in confectioners’ sugar on low speed until smooth for frosting.
-Transfer 1 cup of frosting to a bowl and fold in pineapple for filling.
-Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter and spread top evenly with filling.
-Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
-Top with second layer, then spread top and sides with frosting.
-Chill cake until frosting is slightly firm.
-Coat top and sides of cake evenly with coconut flakes.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Lady’s Home Journal