Creamy Coconut Cake

If you are a coconut lover, you've gotta try this cake. There is no tastier coconut cake recipe than this one. The cake layers stay unbelievably moist, thanks to the secret ingredient: Coconut milk. Three delicious layers of coconut flavored cake, filled with a rich, creamy coconut filling and topped off with a light and fluffy vanilla frosting covered in sweet flakes of coconut. This one is a keeper guys. It's like a piece of heaven on your plate. 
Here's how I make it (adapted from Jaime's coconut cake by Paula Deen):

Ingredients:
for the cake:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
3 cups self-rising flour, sifted
1 cup canned, unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the filling:
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

for the frosting:
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:
for the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans and set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6-8 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and coconut milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let finished cakes cool completely. 

for the filling:
Combine flaked coconut and sweetened condensed milk in a small bowl. Microwave mixture for 5 minutes. Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon, poke holes approximately 1 inch apart until entire cake has been poked. Spread one third of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again. 

for the frosting: 
Place sugar, cream of tartar, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double broiler*. Beat with a hand held electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that the boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. (If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy.) Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla and frost top and sides of cake. With additional coconut, sprinkle top and sides of cakes. Enjoy!

*if you don't own a double broiler, it's perfectly fine to boil water in sauce pan for the bottom part and place ingredients in a glass bowl for the top part. This is how I make my frosting and it comes out perfect every time. 

As always, thank you so much for stopping by blog. I hope that you try this recipe, you're gonna love it!