6 inch southern coconut cake
I have a recipe that has been well received for a while now for Southern coconut custard cake. The only problem with this cake is that it is 10inches, 4 layers and weighs a bit over 12 pounds. It really isn't what I'd call a casual cake. I wanted to make this cake for a couples birthday because they like coconut cake, but again the cake is too freaking big for just two people to eat realistically. So I got playing with some of the ratios and made a recipe that works great for a small cake, perfect for 2-4 people to share.
prep time
12 Hr 15 Min
cook time
40 Min
method
Bake
yield
6 slices
Ingredients
- FOR COCONUT CUSTARD
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) european style unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut flakes
- 1 tablespoon warm water
- COCONUT CAKE
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) european style unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
- SOUTHERN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperture
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- GARNISH
- 1 cup toasted coconut flakes
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes
- SIMPLE SYRUP
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
How To Make 6 inch southern coconut cake
-
Step 1For Custard Filling: 1-Over medium heat melt butter and sugar together. 2- Add cream and stir until it reaches a boil. 3- In a small mixing bowl mix cornstarch, vanilla extract, and water. 4- Put coconut flakes in a food processor and process until fine. 5- Mix cornstarch mixture into hot cream mixture. 6- Pour hot cream mixture out into a large casserole dish or baking pan. 7- Mix in coconut flakes 8- Let set in fridge for 12 hours
-
Step 2For Coconut Cakes: 1- Preheat oven to 325'F grease two 6" round cake pans, line and grease bottoms of pans with parchment circles. 2- Cream together butter and sugar for 6 minutes until super fluffy! 3- Add eggs to butter/sugar one at a time until completely incorporated. 4- In another large mixing bowl sift together all your dry ingredients.(Flour, salt and baking powder.) Set aside. 5- In a measuring cup mix together cream and vanilla and coconut extracts. 6- Add flour and cream to butter mixture gradually, alternating between adding flour and cream. Start and end with flour mixture. 7- Do not over mix!!! 8- Pour batter out into pans and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
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Step 3For Frosting: 1- Beat butter and cream cheese together for 2 minutes until fluffy. 2- Beat in vanilla extract. 3- Beat confectioner's sugar in on medium speed one cup at a time until completely incorporated.
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Step 4For Simpler syrup: 1- Heat water on stove top over medium heat in a small sauce pan. 2- Stir in sugar and dissolve it. 3- Bring water to a boil, then take off of heat and set aside to cool.
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Step 5Assembly: 1- Once cakes are completely cooled, level off any doming in the cakes with a cake leveler or a serrated bread knife. 2- Divide each cake into two layers. You will have 4 cake layers total. 3- Place first layer of cake down on a cake dish and coat the cake layer liberally with simple syrup. 4- Spread about 1/2 cup of coconut custard on the layer evenly. 5- Place next layer of cake on top of that layer and repeat this process for the remaining layers, omitting a layer of custard on the very top of the cake. 6- Frost as desired with cream cheese frosting and garnish. I like to garnish the sides of the cake with toasted coconut and top it with the untoasted sweetened flakes.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
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