Coconut Cake with Raspberry Filling

Indulge in the delicate flavors of coconut and raspberry with this exquisite cake recipe.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 3 cups (297g) cake flour, sifted before measuring
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 pound (450g) powdered sugar
• 4 egg yolks, well beaten
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (or coconut extract)
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 4 egg whites, beaten until stiff peaks form

For the Raspberry Filling:

• Raspberry preserves (at least 1 cup), choose a high-quality option

For the Frosting:

• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (or coconut extract)
• Powdered sugar, as needed for desired thickness

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. In a bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt three times.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter thoroughly. Gradually add the powdered sugar, continuing to cream until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks until well combined.
4. Alternately add the flour mixture and coconut milk to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract (or coconut extract), and shredded coconut.
5. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites until well combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
8. For the frosting, whisk together 1 cup of milk and 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and let cool to room temperature without stirring.
9. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and extracts until light and fluffy. Gradually add the cooled milk mixture a quarter cup at a time, beating on low speed after each addition until smooth. Adjust the thickness by adding powdered sugar as needed.
10. To assemble the cake, slice each layer in half horizontally. Spread a thin layer of raspberry preserves between the sliced layers. Alternate layers of preserves and frosting, then frost the top and sides of the cake.
11. Sprinkle shredded coconut over the frosted cake.
12. Slice and serve, savoring each delicious bite!

Note: For added flavor and texture, consider adding a thin layer of shredded coconut along with the raspberry preserves between the cake layers. Enjoy!