Red Velvet Coconut Cake Recipe
Southern style red velvet cake kicked up a notch, this Red Velvet Coconut Cake is the bee's knees!
Servings: 12 servings
Cost: $15
Equipment
- 3 8" round cake pans
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour plus more for the pans
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- 1/2 cup buttermilk shake before measuring
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- For the frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 15 ounce can coconut cream
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4-6 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- For the cake soak:
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Coat three 8 inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line with parchment circle on the bottom.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Pulse the coconut in a food processor until it is very finely chopped.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and coconut with an electric mixer on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
- In a small bowl, stir together the red food coloring, buttermilk, and coconut milk.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop and scrape down the bowl twice.
- In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar and the baking soda. With the mixer set at medium speed, beat the vinegar mixture into the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly into the cake pans.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.
- Beat the cream cheese with the butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and coconut cream. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar 1/2 a cup at a time until the mixture reaches the consistency of frosting and can hold it's shape. Store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla to make the cake soak.
- Dip a pastry brush in the cake soak and brush the soak over the cake rounds.
- Use an offset spatula to spread one-fifth of the frosting in an even layer over the cake.
- Sprinkle one-third of the shredded coconut evenly over the frosting. Use the back of your hand to press them in place.
- Set the second cake round on top of the frosting, and repeat the process for layer 1 (if 1 of your 3 cake rounds is uglier than the other, use it here on the bottom and save the prettier one for the top). Repeat with remaining cake layer.
- Cover the top of the cake with the remaining frosting and frost the sides of the cake. Garnish the frosting with the remaining coconut.
- Transfer the cake to the freezer and freeze for a minimum of 12 hours to set the cake and filling. The cake will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
- At least 3 hours before you are ready to serve the cake, pull the cake out of the freezerand transfer the cake to a platter or cake stand. Allow it defrost in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours (wrapped well in plastic, the cake can be refrigerated for up to 5 days).
Nutrition
Serving: 0g | Calories: 679kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg