Layered Coconut Cake- Best Coconut Cake Recipe
This is the best coconut recipe derived from memories of a cake my mother used to buy for my sister and I when we were kids in Southeast Asia. The layered cake was perfectly moist laden with layer upon layer of real coconut shreds. It was unlike anything I’ve ever found to this day. Unfortunately that recipe disappeared along with the passing of the handful of bakers in Southeast Asia who were master of that unique and unbelievably scrumptious cake. Though my recipe does not result in exactly the same coconut cake as from my childhood, it’s a close approximation that is just as moist, lightly sweet and brimming with coconut.

Makes 1 medium-sized cake (~8 slices)

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour + for dusting
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 lb (~2 cups) fresh or previously thawed coconut shreds (shreds are not the same as coconut flakes)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan (or a 7-inch round baking pan) and lightly dust the bottom with flour.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whipping until smooth. Add the vanilla essence and mix again briefly.

In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together and slowly add to the wet mixture while whipping on a low speed until thoroughly mixed. Finally add the coconut milk and mix with a spatula until well combined.

Pour 1/3 of the batter into the pan and bake for about 10 minutes. Keep the oven on but remove the pan and place on a heat-proof surface. Carefully layer 1/2 of the coconut shreds on the partially baked batter. Then pour another 1/3 of the batter over the shreds. Put the pan back into the oven and bake again for another 20 minutes.

Repeat these last few steps to layer the remaining coconut shreds and using the last 1/3 of the batter. Bake for a final 30 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

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