Coconut-Almond Cream Cake

By cecelia26_

Ingredients

• Coconut-Almond Filling
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 1/4 cups loosely packed sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Cake
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• Parchment paper
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon almond extract
• Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon cream of coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Garnishes: kumquats, currants, fresh mint sprigs

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Coconut-Almond Filling
1. Stir together cornstarch, almond extract and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl.
2. Bring whipping cream, brown sugar and butter to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in cornstarch mixture. Stir in coconut and sour cream. Chill 8 hours.

Cake
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Bake coconut in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 minutes. Place almonds in a single layer in another shallow pan; bake, with coconut, 7 to 9 minutes or until almonds are fragrant and coconut is lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
2. Line 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour paper.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a very large bowl.
4. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating until blended. Beat 8 minutes or until very fluffy, scraping bottom and sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (about 30 seconds per egg). Stir in whipping cream and next 3 ingredients.
5. Gently fold butter mixture into flour mixture, in batches, just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
6. Bake at 325° for 30 to 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting
1. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat in cream of coconut and vanilla until smooth.
3. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread half of chilled Coconut-Almond Filling over cake layer. Top with 1 layer, pressing down gently. Repeat procedure with remaining half of Coconut-Almond Filling and remaining cake layer.
4. Gently spread Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting on top and sides of cake. Press toasted coconut onto sides of cake; sprinkle toasted almonds on top. Garnish, if desired.