When it comes to mother-in-laws, I consider myself incredibly lucky. Brad's mom, Carol, is a pretty fantastic woman. She is the sweetest, most caring person, and I feel so lucky to have her in my life. In fact, we don't like the term "in-law" around here...She's Mom 2. :-) Every year on her birthday, she gives me a "birthday cake challenge." See, she comes up with an interesting flavor combination, and lets me run with the idea. This year, she wanted a layer cake with both coconut and lemon flavors. I immediately pictured a scrumptious coconut cake with homemade lemon curd between the layers. With that idea in mind, I got to work trying to find the perfect recipe and found just what I was looking for over at joyofbaking.com. This is a spectacular recipe, which incorporates buttermilk in the cake batter. This lends a perfect crumb and texture to the cake, which turns out moist and delicious. The lemon curd comes together fairly quickly with the help of a double boiler, and adds a fresh, citrusy note to the cake.
Here are Mom 2's Past Birthday Cake Challenges:
Last year, she requested a cake flavored with fresh orange, coconut and pecan, so I came up with THIS CREATION, which was delish!
In 2010, she challenged me with a chocolate cake that had a coconut-cream cheese icing. This Dreamy Coconut-Chocolate Cake with Coconuty Cream Cheese Icing was the fabulous result.
In 2009, the challenge was a cake inspired by a Mounds bar...something with chocolate and coconut. My creation? An incredibly decadent coconut cake, with actual melted Mounds bars as the filling between the cake layers. This Mounds Bar Cake, my friends, is probably one of my personal favorites!
You may remember this Chocolate Kahlua Cake from back in 2008. It was delicious, too!!
I wish that I had more photos of this year's Lemon-Coconut Cake. However, it was so delicious, that the tiny little piece in these photos was the only piece left for me to shoot. I guess that's a good thing? I wonder what next year's challenge will be. Stay tuned! Bon Appetit, my friends!
Lemon-Coconut Cake
Makes one - 9 inch(23 cm) layer cake.
Source: joyofbaking.com
Originally Adapted From: Foster, Sara. 'TheFoster's Market Cookbook'. Random House. New York: 2002.
Ingredients:
Lemon Curd:
3 large eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (do not use the bottled lemon juice)
1 tablespoon (4 grams) finely shredded lemon zest (outer yellow skin of lemon)
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces
Coconut Cake Recipe:
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
1 tsp coconut extract
1 3/4 cups (420 ml) buttermilk
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Frosting:
2 large (60 grams) egg whites
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Garnish:
2 cups (150 grams) sweetened shredded or flaked coconut (can use unsweetened dried coconut)
Directions:
Lemon Curd:
In a stainless steel bowl placed over asaucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juiceuntil blended.Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it fromcurdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce)(160 degrees F or 71 degrees C).This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove fromheat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps.
Cut the butterinto small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add thelemon zest and let cool.The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools.Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate until cold.Thelemon curd can be made several days (up to a week) in advance.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Butterand flour two - 9 inch x 1 1/2 inch (23 x 3.75 cm) cake pans, and then line the bottoms with parchment paper (or spray with BakersJoy).
CoconutCake:
While the eggs are still cold separate the eggs, placing the yolks inone bowl and the whites in another bowl.Cover the two bowls with plasticwrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature before using (about 30minutes).
In a mixing bowl siftor whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In bowl of electricmixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Gradually add 1 1/2 cups (300grams) of the sugarand beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg yolks, one at atime, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
With the mixer on lowspeed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk, in three additions, beginningand ending with the flour.
In a clean bowl of yourelectric mixer, with the whisk attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the egg whites until foamy.Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup (50 grams) of sugar and continue to beatuntil stiff peaks form.Witha rubber spatula gently fold alittle of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and thenfold in the remainingwhites until combined.Do not over mix the batter or it will deflate.
Divide thebatter and pour into the prepared pans, smoothing the surface with an offsetspatula or the back of a spoon.Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until atoothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cakesprings back when pressed lightly in center.
Place thecakes on a wire rack to cool, in their pans, for about 10 minutes. Then invertthe cakes onto a greased rack.To prevent splitting, reinvert cakes sothat tops are right side up. Cool completely before filling and frosting.
Frosting:
In a stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, place the eggwhites, sugar, water, and corn syrup. With a handheld electric mixer beatthe mixture for 3 to 4 minutes on low speed.Increase the speed to highand continue to beat for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the icing is shiny andsatiny with soft peaks.
Remove from heat,add the vanilla extract, and continue to beat on high speed for another 1 to 2minutes or until the frosting is thick.Use immediately.
To Assemble:
With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally.Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread with about1/3 of the lemon curd and sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of coconut.Continue with the nextlayers, stacking and filling with the lemon curd and coconut.Frost thetop and sides of the cake with the 7-Minute Frosting and then sprinkle withabout 1 cup of coconut.Cover and refrigerate the cakeuntil serving time.
