Think of the best cake you’ve ever had. Then make this one, and you will likely have a new favorite!
There are over 300 recipes in my recently published cookbook, Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us (Click on the link in Note 1 to get your own copy). Even in these inflationary times, we can prepare delicious meals for our family and do so in a way that does not break the budget. And it’s all in the cookbook!
Introduction
The primary reason I wrote my cookbook was to preserve family favorite recipes and the stories that go with them. I did not see my grandparents on my mother’s side often, as they lived in Alabama and we lived in Virginia. We always flew to visit them, and, truth be known, taking those flights early in my life is probably where my love of airplanes came from and likely what influenced my decision to become an aircraft maintenance technician and work for a major airline.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story that accompanies this recipe, and I know you will enjoy the cake more; it’s one of the best I’ve ever had! And finally, because Diane is the baker in the family, she made the cake to perfect the recipe, just like I remember it from when I was a child!
Blanche Mitchell’s Coconut Layer Cake
I have fond memories of visiting my grandparents’ home in Russellville, AL. My grandfather was one of the hardest-working men I knew. He worked at an aluminum factory as an electrician, was on the city council, had at least one rent house and farmed a couple acres. Many of the crops he grew such as okra, corn, green beans, purple hulled peas, potatoes, etc. made it to the family table and were “put up” for later in the year. One of the things I learned from him was that you could grow green pole beans between the corn, and they would grow up the corn and you could double your yield for a given amount of real estate. Who knew? And there would be the occasional cow he would raise for beef. When I was little, I thought the cow was a pet. Then I found out…
My grandmother, Blanche Mitchell, was a stay-at-home homemaker of 6 children. I’m told she also occasionally worked picking cotton and at the local cotton gin. What I remember most about her was her Southern-style cooking. I’m talking fried okra, purple hulled peas, corn on the cob, homemade biscuits and gravy, and fried chicken. They had a special refrigerator that only held Pepsi and Dr. Pepper by the case. It was fun to go in there and grab a cold one; we could not do that at home.
Except for my uncle, all the others lived in the area. When we would visit from Virginia, my grandmother always made at least two things, mostly for my dad: pecan pie and coconut cake. So good! The coconut cake especially holds a memory for me as I remember she used to keep it in the refrigerator, and it was cold. The cold cake and the frosting, which was so rich, were just such a treat to me. I feel like I can still taste it. Unfortunately, I never got her recipe, and my mother never made it, so I have put one together that closely mirrors what I remember. In any case, it is uummm, uummm good! I think there are several keys to this recipe. One is the multiple layers and abundant frosting. I also think the buttermilk (my grandmother made everything with buttermilk. She drank it too!) and the sweetened coconut. So, there is a lot to this and it’s a really rich dessert. Careful ingredient selection and preparation will yield excellent results. I guess that’s true with everything in cooking, really.
This is a complicated and time-consuming recipe, which explains why we only got it on special occasions. Diane does most of the baking at our home, and she makes this one for me.
Ingredients
For the cake
3 cups cake flour, sifted (Note 1), plus more for dusting
5 eggs, separated
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter (Note 2)
½ cup sweetened cream of coconut (Note 3)
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
½ cup oil (avocado, canola, vegetable)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 3/4 plus ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (Note 4)
1 teaspoon coconut extract (Note 4)
Shortening
For the frosting
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut (Note 5)
12 oz cream cheese, softened
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup milk, whole preferred
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Note 4)
1 teaspoon coconut extract (Note 4)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup additional coconut for topping and sides of cake
Directions
For the frosting, bring eggs, buttermilk, all four sticks of butter and cream cheese to room temperature for 30 minutes before starting to make the cake.
Gather all your tools and ingredients on your counter so that you are able to complete the process in a smooth and seamless manner.
Use the shortening to grease three 9-inch cake pans (can use 8”, you will just have extra cake that will need to be discarded), dust pie pans lightly with flour. Cut rounds of parchment paper to line the bottom of each pan. Lightly dust each cake pan, set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make the cake. In the first mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Sift together.
In a second mixing bowl, add the buttermilk, oil and cream of coconut. Whisk well.
In a third mixing bowl, ideally on a stand mixer, add the butter and 1 3/4 cup sugar and beat on medium until well incorporated.
With the mixer running and speed reduced to low, add the egg yolks one at a time, beating about 20 seconds between each yolk. Add the extracts. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture in alternating thirds until all added and well combined. Turn off the mixer and remove the bowl from the mixer.
If you have a second bowl to use for your stand mixer, use it for this step to make a meringue. Otherwise, you will have to have a fourth bowl and use an electric hand mixer. Beat the egg whites and remaining ½ cup sugar until stiff peaks form.
With a silicone spatula, fold the egg white meringue into the batter in three batches until combined but do not over mix. Divide the batter between the cake pans.
Bake on the middle rack and bake 30 to 35 minutes, checking with a toothpick starting around 25 minutes. Shuffle the pans around about halfway through to ensure even baking. The toothpick should come out clean and the cakes should be lightly browned. This is a key step; you do not want to overbake the cake or it will be dry. Remove from oven and let rest for about 25 minutes. You may need to use a knife to separate the edges and then flip onto a cooling rack. Remove parchment paper and allow to cool for another 30 minutes or so.
While the cakes are baking and cooling, it’s a good time to clean up. You will need some of the same tools to make the frosting. It’s also a good time to ensure you have all of the ingredients on the counter.
Make the frosting. In a large bowl on a stand mixer, on medium speed, beat the butter, cream, cream cheese, sugar, and coconut until smooth, 2 minutes or so.
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the extracts and salt and continue mixing until combined.
Increase the mixer speed to high and whip until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed with your silicone spatula.
Place the first cake layer in your cake pan or stand on the wax paper (if desired) and frost. Note: If the cakes rose in the middle, you may need to use a knife to even them out, so each layer stacks properly. Note that you have three layers plus the sides to frost, so use the frosting accordingly. Continue with the other two cakes and frost the sides. If you have any frosting left over, frost the sides.
Sprinkle the extra ¼ cup of coconut over the top and gently press to adhere. Do the same with the sides.
Enjoy this delicious dessert. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.
Notes
If you can use Swans Down cake flour, I think you will like it as it is a finer flour. Note there are some conversions you will need to do versus regular cake flour. Check their website for details.
Use unsalted or the recipe will be too salty. Yes, I know it’s a pain.
Not coconut milk or coconut cream. Goya is a good brand, or you can find some with the drink mixers.
Please use the real stuff and not imitation. Yes, I know, it’s a lot more expensive.
Notice this is sweetened coconut, not unsweetened or even real coconut.
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Blanche Mitchell’s Coconut Layer Cake
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Call to Action
Show someone how much you love them by preparing a delicious meal for them. Later, enjoy the time and money you save by relishing your leftovers, either for lunch at work or dinner at home. Take comfort in knowing you are eating hearty food you prepared. All because you made a good decision to follow the recipes and tips in the cookbook I developed just for you.
Besides getting a copy of the cookbook for yourself, it makes an excellent gift for those you love and care for, especially for those with a young family who are looking to save time and money in the kitchen. And learn a few things in the process! What a great idea!
Recommended Resources
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi (Note 1).
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Notes
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/437OhVQ
Achieve Your Dreams: A Complete Guide to Live Your Best Life by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/3IxEFgy