Coconut butter cake
Instructions:
-
Coconut and bourbon mark the flavors of this classic Southern cake.
- 1 cup butter;
- 11⁄2 cups granulated sugar;
- 4 eggs;
- 21⁄2 cups all-purpose flour;
- 21⁄2 teaspoons baking powder;
- 1 cup milk;
- 1 teaspoon vanilla;
- 1 cup flaked or shredded coconut;
- 9 tablespoons bourbon;
- 2 cups heavy cream;
- 1⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa;
- 1⁄2 cup powdered sugar;
- 1 teaspoon vanilla;
- 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-round layer cake pans.
- Cream the butter and granulated sugar together until light. Beat in the eggs until fluffy. Sift the flour with the baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Add the vanilla. Fold in the coconut. Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes test done in the center. Cool on racks. Remove from pans and split each layer horizontally.
- To assemble the cake, place a split layer onto a cake plate. Spoon about 11⁄2 tablespoons bourbon onto each layer. In large bowl of electric mixer, combine the cream, cocoa, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until mixture holds stiff peaks. Top each layer with about 1⁄3 cup of the chocolate-cream mixture. Sprinkle each layer with toasted pecans, and stack the layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Chill until ready to serve. Serve cut into thin wedges.