Tata’s Coconut Birthday Cake
Tata’s Coconut Birthday Cake
A special cake made for Tata Harper’s 50th birthday.
Recipe
MAKES: 1 cake of 3- 8” layers
INGREDIENTS:
Dry Ingredients
2½ cups (225g) all-purpose flour
135g Sonora wheat flour
2½ cups (225g) unsweetened finely shredded coconut
Wet Ingredients
1 cups (300g) milk
60 lemon juice (or any kind of vinegar)
6g tablespoons (70g) melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
Creaming Ingredients
2½ sticks (285g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups (439g) organic cane sugar
2½ teaspoons (12g) baking powder
1¾ teaspoons (7g) kosher salt
4 large eggs + 1 yolk
1 cup (110g) unsweetened coconut chips, flakes, or more shredded coconut
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a small container, pour the lemon juice into the milk, set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment rounds. Spray the sides with coconut oil spray.
Mix the dry ingredients.
In a kitchen aid mixer, cream the butter and sugar, salt, baking powder until pale, fluffy, and aerated—about 3–5 minutes. Then, add the eggs one at a time, followed by the extra yolk, beating well and scraping down the bowl between each addition. The mixture may look slightly broken; this is normal.
Pour the oil and vanilla extract into the milk and lemon juice mixture.
Alternate dry and wet additions into the butter mixture: on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in two additions. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated—do not overmix.
Divide and bake: Evenly divide the batter between the three prepared pans (approximately 630–650g per pan). Smooth the tops with an offset spatula.
Bake on the center rack for 32–38 minutes, or until the tops are golden and spring back lightly when touched, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cakes in the pans for 10–15 minutes, then carefully run a knife or offset spatula around the edges and invert onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment and allow cakes to cool completely.
Whipped Coconut Cream Cheese Buttercream
Ingredients
300g unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 blocks full fat cream cheese (651g), softened to room temperature
252g organic confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) canned coconut milk, room temperature
15g pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh coconut meat blended in food processor
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions:
Beat the butter and cream cheese: In a large stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light, smooth, and creamy—about 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and continue beating for another 2–3 minutes until well-blended and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Add the vanilla extract, salt, and coconut milk. Beat on medium speed until everything is fully combined and smooth.
Reduce the mixer to low and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, 1–2 cups at a time, mixing well between each addition to prevent clumping. Once all the sugar is incorporated, increase the mixer to medium-high and beat for 2 more minutes until the frosting is light and silky. Add in the shredded coconut until evenly distributed. The frosting will be rich, creamy, and flecked with texture from the sweetened coconut.
Pomegranate Grapefruit Curd
Ingredients:
1 large eggs
2 egg yolks
70g organic granulated sugar
pinch of kosher salt
6g arrowroot starch
75g fresh lemon or lime juice
50g fresh pomegranate juice*
Zest of 1 grapefruit (can also use lemon or lime zest)
Instructions:
In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar, salt, and arrowroot until smooth and slightly pale.
In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice and tangerine or pomegranate juice. Heat until steaming but not boiling.
Slowly pour about 60g (¼ cup) of the hot juice into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper. Add a bit more juice in a steady stream while continuing to whisk.
Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler style). Pour in the remaining hot juice and continue whisking, scraping the bottom and sides constantly.
Taste as it thickens. Adjust tartness or sweetness by dissolving sugar or starch into a small amount of juice, then whisking into the curd.
Cook for 8–12 minutes until the curd thickens and reaches 74–78°C (165–172°F). It should coat the back of a spoon.
Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Stir in the grapefruit zest if using.
Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.
* To make fresh pomegranate juice:
Place 1 to 2 cups of fresh pomegranate arils in a blender. Pulse gently just until the arils release their juice, without pulverizing the seeds. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing to extract all the juice. Discard the pulp and seed solids. You should get about 100–120g of juice.
Assembly Instructions:
Once the cakes are fully cooled, level the tops with a serrated knife if needed. Place the first layer on a cake stand or serving plate, cut-side up if leveled. Gently spread a generous layer of pomegranate grapefruit curd across the surface, and then a sprinkling of fresh pomegranate arils, leaving a ¼-inch border around the edges to allow for natural spreading when stacked.
Place the second cake layer on top and repeat with more curd. Finish with the third layer, placing it cut-side down for a smooth, clean finish on top.
Now cover the entire cake with frosting and then sprinkle with unsweetened coconut. Decorated with fresh or pressed botanicals of your choice.
Chill the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing, to allow the layers to set. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
