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Lemon Coconut Cake

This cake is made with three layers of coconut cake, lemon curd, and lemon cream cheese frosting.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

Lemon Curd

  • 6  large  egg yolks (at room temperature)
  • 2/3  cup  white sugar
  • 2  tablespoons fresh lemon zest
  • 3/4  cup  freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1  pinch  salt
  • 1/2  cup  unsalted butter (cut into 8 pieces

Coconut Cake

  • 2 1/2  cups  sweetened coconut flakes
  • 3  cups  cake flour  
  • 2 1/2  teaspoons  baking powder
  • 1  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/4  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
  • 1  cup  unsalted butter ( softened)
  • 1/4  cup  vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2  cups  white sugar
  • 1/2  cup  sour cream (at room temperature)
  • 2  tablespoons  freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1  tablespoon  vanilla extract
  • 1  cup  full-fat coconut milk
  • 6  large  egg whites,  (at room temperature)
  • 1/4  teaspoon  cream of tartar

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2  cup  cold unsalted butter
  • 1  (8 ounce) package cold full-fat cream cheese
  • 4  cups  confectioner's sugar
  • 1 1/2  teaspoons  fresh lemon zest (or to taste)
  • 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla extract
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt (or to taste)
  • 1  tablespoon  chilled full-fat coconut milk

Garnish

  • 1 1/2  cups  toasted sweetened coconut flakes (or to taste)

Instructions
 

  • Add butter, egg yolks and sugar to a non-reactive small saucepan on medium heat. Also add lemon zest, juice and lemon zest. Stirring constantly, cook mixture until it begins to simmer, and thickens, about 8-12 minutes. Pour the mixture into a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to push it through. Cover the top of curd with plastic wrap and chill until it is chilled.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees F) for cakes. Grease 3 8-inch cake pans lightly and line them with parchment paper.
  • Place the coconut flakes in a food processor, or blend them until they are finely chopped. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cake flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
  • In a large bowl, combine butter, oil and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat until fluffy and light, about 3 to 4 min. Mix sourcream, lemon juice and vanilla until well combined. Mix in half of the flour mixture. Mix in coconut milk until combined. Mix in the remaining flour mixture.
  • Combine egg whites with cream of tartar in a clean, separate bowl. Beat egg whites at medium speed with clean beaters until stiff peaks are formed, approximately 5 minutes. Fold 1/3 of the mixture of egg whites into the batter until there are no white streaks left. Fold in the remaining egg white mixture until there are no white streaks left. Divide batter equally between the three prepared cake pans.
  • Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops of the cakes spring back lightly when touched. Allow the cakes to cool for 20 minutes in their pans before transferring them to a rack to finish cooling.
  • Cut cold butter into pieces of 1/2 inch. Place into a bowl. Beat butter on low speed with an electric mixer. Beat butter for about 2 minutes, increasing the speed of your mixer. Add cold cream cheese and beat at medium-high speeds until smooth and well combined. This should take about 3 minutes. Beat in confectioner's powder until well combined. Mix in the vanilla, lemon zest and salt. Add remaining confectioner's Sugar, 1 cup at time, and beat well after each addition. Add 1 tablespoon of cold coconut milk to the mixture and continue beating on medium speed for 2 to 3 more minutes. Place the frosting in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until it becomes easier to spread on the cake layers.
  • Place one layer of cake on a serving plate or cake plate. Spread a thin cream cheese frosting on top of the cake. Pipe a ring around the edge of the cake. Place 2 tablespoons lemon curd into the middle of the frosting ring and smooth it out to form an even layer. Repeat the frosting and filling process by stacking another cake layer onto the first. Once the final cake layer has been stacked, use a thin frosting layer to cover the top and sides. Press the coconut flakes on the sides of cake with your hands. You can drizzle or swirl some extra lemon curd on top if you wish. Place the cake in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.