Paula Deen's Jamie's Coconut Cake

Redneck Epicurean's Note:

Paula Deen is my favorite chef - EVER! If I had to choose another mother, she'd be who I'd pick. This is her son Jamie's favorite birthday cake. I'm posting it here because not only do I want to try it, but I never want to lose it. And if you could see my office, you'd know that if I wrote it down, it would not be found until the day I stopped looking for it. So, here it is, safe and sound for everyone to enjoy.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 3-layer ...

CAKE

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups sifted self-rising flour
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FILLING

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

FROSTING

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

GARNISH

• shredded coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed.
3. 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 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks. Cool completely.
4. While cake is baking, prepare filling. Stir together sugar, sour cream, milk, and coconut in a bowl until well blended.
5. Remove cake layers from oven and allow cake to remain in pans as you prepare to stack and fill. Remove first layer and invert onto cake plate. Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon, poke holes approximately 1-inch apart until entire cake has been poked. Spread 1/3 of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again. (As I stack layers together I stick them with toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting).
6. To prepare the frosting, place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a hand-held electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that 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. Frost the sides of the cake first, being careful not to get crumbs in the icing. When cake is completely covered, gently cover frosting with coconut.
7. Cover loosely and refrigerate for three days (if you can stand it that long!).

Reviews

[Mehtalalady]

Went to a friends for a small gathering and the host made this cake. If this is not the best then it is one of the best homemade cakes I've ever eaten. I threw some in the freezer and it was even better frozen. I will attempt to make this cake. SUPER MOIST and NOT SICKINGLY SWEET!

[sifty54]

Follow the directions EXACTLY. I stupidly used cake flour and found myself with a 25 lb cake to frost. Frosting was runny but delicious. I will try this one again for sure.

[Lt. Amy]

This cake was super yummy and moist. I wonder if the people complaining about it being too dense didn't use self-rising flour. I used self-rising and the cake turned out perfect. It sat in the refrigerator for 2.5 days. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was the frosting. Mine turned out a bit on the runny side and ran down the side of the cake. However, it still tasted great and looked lovely.