Uncle Bill's 45th Birthday

On Saturday we celebrated Uncle Bill's 45th. He wanted Jack for a birthday gift, but had to settle for some rocking and cooing, dinner at Sorriso's, and the Barefoot Contessa's coconut cake. 

This is the BOMB of a coconut cake, so I have taken the liberty of recreating the recipe here for all of you who are feeling a little too healthy, a little too thin, a little in need of some lovin' that only 5 sticks of butter and 5 eggs can provide!  Happy Birthday Bill!

Coconut Cake:

3 sticks unsalted butter , room temperature
2 cups of sugar
5 extra-large eggs, room temp.
1.5 teaspns of vanilla extract
1.5 teaspn of almond extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspn baking poweder
0.5 teaspn baking soda
0.5 teaspn kosher salt
1 cup milk
4 oz sweetened shredded coconut

 Coconut Icing:

 1 lb cream cheese at room temp

2 sticks unsalted butter

¾ teaspn pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspn pure almond extract

1 lb confectioners sugar, sifted

6 oz sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans, line pans with parchment paper. Grease again and dust lightly with flour.

In electric mixer with a paddle, cream the butter and sugar on med-hi speed for 3-5 minutes until light yellow and fluffy.  Crack eggs into a small bowl.  With mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing.  Add the vanilla and almond and mix well.  The mixture might look curdled; don’t be concerned.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  With mixer on low speed, alternatively add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in three parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients  mix until just combined.  Fold in the coconut with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife.  Bake in the center of the oven for 45-55 mins until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool on the baking rack for 30 mins.  Turn cakes out onto a backing rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting, use a mixer with a paddle to combine the cream cheese, butter vanilla and almond extract, on low speed.  Add the confectioners sugar and mix until just smooth.  (Don’t whip).

To assemble, place one layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting.  Place the second layer on top, topside up, and fost the top and sides.  To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut on to the sides.  Serve at room temperature.