The best coconut cake

Ingredients:

Cakes

• 220g unsalted butter, room temperature, plus extra for greasing pans
• 2 and 3/4 tbsp. cake flour + extra to sprinkle into moulds (see note)
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp of soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sour milk or kefir
• 1/2 cup sweet coconut drinking cream (from a 16-ounce can), stir well (see Note)
• 1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature, whites separated from yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract

Glaze

• 220 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 340 g of cream cheese, room temperature
• 3.5 cups powdered sugar
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 2 cups sweet coconut flakes

Preparation:

1. Cakes:

   
   Position oven racks in the middle and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 9-inch (22-cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Grease the parchment, dust with flour, and shake out any excess. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and coconut cream. In a large bowl, beat the butter with 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts. Reduce mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, until smooth.
3. In a large bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the beaten whites into the batter in three additions, just to incorporate them (do not overmix). Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake the cakes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until lightly browned and springy when lightly pressed in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool for 20 minutes in the pans, then run a small knife around the edge of each cake and carefully invert it onto a wire rack; remove the parchment and let cool completely.

4. Glaze:

   
   In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in half of the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the remaining powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and coconut extracts and beat until smooth. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or platter and spread a heaping 2/3 cup of frosting on top. Add another cake layer, more frosting, and a final cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle coconut over the entire top and sides of the cake, pressing gently to adhere.
   
   

   Note

   
   When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.
   
   The flavor of this cake depends on the coconut cream. This recipe uses coconut cream for drinks, which can be found in the cocktail section of most grocery stores (do not use coconut milk or regular coconut cream).