Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Cake in the time of corona
This Easter may not be like all the others — services will be streamed rather than sunrise, egg decorating parties will be virtual and egg hunts limited to your own backyard — but the foods we eat hold the same, if not more, importance than ever.
Desserts are often as much a star of the menu as the ham. For many after a Lenten fast from sweets, dessert is the star of the menu.
The following cakes — coconut with buttercream and banana with salted caramel glaze — are freezer-friendly and work well in a variety of pan sizes, making them ideal for a small gathering now or a large gathering later.
Coconut Cake With Coconut Buttercream
Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup cream of coconut such as
Coco Lopez
5 tablespoons milk
½ cup shortening
½ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
use
1 egg PLUS 4 egg whites,
divided use
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract,
optional
½ teaspoon coconut extract ½ cup unsweetened flaked
coconut Buttercream:
2 cups butter, cut into chunks
and softened
¼ cup cream of coconut such
as Coco Lopez
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons coconut extract Generous pinch fine salt
4 cups confectioners’ sugar,
sifted
Flaked coconut, for decorating Jellybeans or colored candies,
optional for decorating
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 (8- or 9-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper or line the wells of 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream of coconut and milk. In a large bowl, beat butter, shortening and 1 cup of the sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour; add extracts. Add the flaked coconut to the batter. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites and remaining granulated sugar to soft peaks. Fold the egg white mixture into the batter, mixing just enough to incorporate. Spoon batter into the prepared pans. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until cake is springy to the touch and a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely. For the buttercream: In a large bowl, beat butter and cream of coconut, extracts and salt on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, until smooth and incorporated. Increase speed and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Spread frosting over cooled cakes then sprinkle generously with flaked coconut. For a 2-layer cake, remove cakes from pans. Trim layers to level, if necessary. Place one layer on a cake stand and spoon a large dollop of frosting in the center. Spread frosting almost to the edges. Top with second layer. Measure about 1 cup of the frosting; set remaining frosting aside. Frost top and sides of cake with the 1 cup frosting to create a thin crumb layer. Chill cake 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until frosting is set. Spread the remaining frosting all over cake. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with flaked coconut and decorate with jellybeans, if desired. To freeze, place cake on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until solid, then wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw cake in the refrigerator overnight.