Creamy Coconut Cake with Rum
I am a huge coconut fan. And one of my favorite ways to enjoy it is with a Mounds candy bar. Give me one and I’m down for the count until I finish it.
What did Hershey get right in this bar that most bakers miss when making coconut cakes or cupcakes?
One word: Moisture.
Coconut needs moisture to draw out its flavor. Additionally, I require it because coconut in shreds can sometimes take on the likeness of having lint on one’s tongue. You know that annoying feeling when it gets stuck on your tongue and the harder you try to push your tongue against the roof of your mouth to swallow it or spit it out, the more it stubbornly embeds itself onto your tongue.
With that I set out to find a moist coconut cake recipe that would mimic the flavor and creaminess of the Mounds filling.
And. . . the chase is over, Folks. This Creamy Coconut Cake with Rum recipe will put all others coconut cake recipes to rest.
A few notes:
1. Cream of Coconut is usually found in the drink mix aisle of the grocery store. Coco Lopez is the dominant brand on the west coast (Sorry, not sure if it is or what it might be elsewhere).
2.Make sure to stir your cream of coconut well prior to using, as it has a tendency to separate.
3.If you cannot find coconut extract at your local grocer, try a health food store.
4.Toast your coconut or not, your personal preference. I prefer not to. I don’t like the change in flavor and an all white cake just looks more delicate and pleasing. Yep—cake vanity.
5. The rum is optional. Althought adding rum to this cake takes it from awesome to supreme.
6. If you don’t have Malibu Rum (rum made with Coconut extract), regular rum will work fine.
7. If you want to make mini cakes like I did, use 3×3 cake rings, instead of two 9in cake pans.
Creamy Coconut Cake with Rum
{Printer Version}
CAKE
1 large egg
5 large egg whites
¾ cup cream of coconut
¼ cup water
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 tablespoons Malibu Rum
2 ¼ cups cake flour (9 ounces), sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 12 pieces, softened, but still cool
2 cups packed sweetened shredded coconut (about 8 ounces)-for finish
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment.
2. Beat egg whites and whole egg with fork to combine. Add cream of coconut, water, vanilla, rum and coconut extract and beat with fork until thoroughly combined.
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on lowest speed to combine, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running on lowest speed, add butter 1 piece at a time, then beat until mixture resembles coarse meal, with butter bits no larger than small peas (approximately 2 to 2 1/2 minutes).
4. With mixer still running, add 1 cup liquid. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With mixer still running, add remaining 1 cup liquid in steady stream (approximatley 15 seconds). Stop mixer and scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then beat at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds. (Batter will be thick.)
5. Divide batter between cake pans and level. Bake until deep golden brown, cakes pull away from sides of pans, and toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes
6. Cool in pans on wire racks about 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with paring knife, invert cakes onto racks and then re-invert; cool to room temperature.
TOASTED COCONUTS
1. While cakes are cooling, spread shredded coconut on rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until shreds are a mix of golden brown and white, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Cool to room temperature.
BUTTERCREAM
4 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
pinch table salt
1 pound unsalted butter (4 sticks), each stick cut into 6 pieces, softened, but still cool
1/4 cup cream of coconut
1 teaspoon coconut extract
3 tablespoon Malibu Rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine whites, sugar, and salt in bowl of standing mixer; set bowl over saucepan containing 1 1/2-inches of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until mixture is opaque and warm to the touch and registers about 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes.
2. Transfer bowl to mixer and beat whites on high speed with whisk attachment until barely warm (about 80 degrees) and whites are glossy and sticky, about 7 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-high and beat in butter 1 piece at a time. Beat in cream of coconut, rum, coconut and vanilla extracts. Stop mixer and scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Continue to beat at medium-high speed until well-combined, about 1 minute.
adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
This sounds incredible! I used to hate Mounds candy bars because they had coconut in them, but now I’m a total convert. Coconut’s the best!!
Kaitlin´s last blog ..Spent
Very delicate, a piece of art, very nice
nico´s last blog ..Grilled rib eye and roasted potatoes
This looks excellent! It looks like this cake is extra coconuty!
Valen´s last blog ..Pound Cake
Puuuuuuuuurdy! …to a coconut lover of course… : ) I am gonna use this to try and convert my hubby!
beautiful!
Coconut without moisture (or buttery goodness? NO? lol) = eating sawdust meant for hamster cage bedding. I love coconut too. Are u my long lost other half? Gorgeous cake. U make me wanna buy new cake tins or little mould things to bake individual ones like this. x
diva´s last blog ..Chestnut & Adzuki Bean Black/White Chocolate Truffles
I love coconut and I love Mounds Bars! You could not have done a better photograph to do justice to your cake. So pretty and perfect in white with it’s pink background and three little dots of red. If I wasn’t making cookies I’d be severely tempted to bake this right now. I will definitely put it in my favourites and come back to bake it soon. Thank you. Very informative post by the way. I wonder if Amaretto would work instead of rum, I always have Amaretto on hand
Paula,
I don’t see why the amaretto wouldn’t work. If you try it let the rest of us know.
Thx,
Naomi
Aside from chocolate cake, coconut is right there at the top of my list too! Just scrolling through some of your recent posts. You are a cake goddess! I’m drooling/envious!
Hosting a birthday brunch at my house in a few weeks and might have to snag some of your cake recipes for that. Good stuff. (And thanks heaps for your comment on Q’s Eats. The banana bread is in fact yummy:)
Love, love, love coconut. My mouth is watering, these look delish!
Amanda´s last blog ..Mexican Rice