Rose's Heavenly Cakes by Rose Levy Beranbaum Read Free Book Online

Cake with Silk Meringue Buttercream when held for several days because of the slightly drying effect of the dried coconut and the low-liquid, high-fat content of the cream of coconut. The flaked coconut, however, gives it extra coconut flavor, and the higher fat content gives it its meltingly tender texture.

Southern (Manhattan) Coconut Cake with Silk Meringue Buttercream
    Serves: 16 to 20
    Baking Time: 30 to 40 minutes
    Seven-minute frosting is just too sweet for my northern tastes, so I have created my own version using one of my favorite airy buttercreams, the Silk Meringue, for this beloved southern cake. The cake itself has wonderful keeping qualities, and if baked a day ahead, the coconut flavor actually intensifies. Although the finished cake stays fresh and moist in the refrigerator for up to one week, it must be eaten at room temperature to have the softest texture and so you can enjoy the light, voluptuous coconut buttercream, which becomes very solid when chilled. Fresh or frozen coconut is ideal for the buttercream, as it keeps the frosting from being too sweet.

Batter
Volume
Ounce
Gram
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
¾ cup (6 fluid ounces)
6.3
180
canned coconut milk (see Note )
1 1/3 cups (10.6 fluid ounces), divided
11.5
327
pure vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons
.
.
coconut extract
1½ teaspoons
.
.
cake flour (or bleached all-purpose flour)
4 cups (or 3½ cups), sifted into the cup and leveled off
14
400
superfine sugar
2 cups
14
400
baking powder
5 teaspoons
.
.
salt
1 teaspoon
.
.
unsalted butter (65° to 75°F/19° to 23°C)
16 tablespoons (2 sticks)
8
227
    Special Equipment
    Two 9 by 2-inch round cake pans, encircled with cake strips, bottoms coated with shortening, topped with parchment rounds, then coated with baking spray with flour
    Preheat the Oven
    Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
    Mix the Liquid Ingredients
    In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites, 1/3 cup of the coconut milk, the vanilla, and coconut extract just until lightly combined.
    Make the Batter
    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining coconut milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
    Starting on medium-low speed, gradually add the egg white mixture in three parts, beating on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surfaces evenly with a small offset spatula. Each will be about half full (27 ounces/773 grams).
    Bake the Cakes
    Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cakes spring back when pressed lightly in the center. The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of the pans only after removal from the oven.
    Cool and Unmold the Cakes
    Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pans and the cakes, pressing firmly against the pans, and invert the cakes onto wire racks that have been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray. To prevent splitting, reinvert the cakes so that the tops are up. Cool completely.
    Note
    Before measuring coconut milk, pour it into a bowl and whisk or stir it to a uniform consistency.

Silk Meringue Buttercream
    Makes: about 5½ cups/2 pounds 5 ounces/1 kilogram 50 grams

Crème Anglaise
Volume
Ounce
Gram
sugar
½ cup
3.5
100
about 5 large egg yolks, at room temperature
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 fluid ounces)
3.2
93
canned coconut milk (see Highlights for Success )
½ cup (4 fluid ounces)
4.3
123
pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon
.
.
coconut extract
1 teaspoon
.
.
    Make the Crème Anglaise
    Have ready a