From the Family Kitchen of Sam Champion: Sam's Coconut Cake

Check Out Sam's Family Recipe

The "12 Days of Cooking" challenge continues with Sam's father's favorite treat.

From the kitchen of Sam Champion

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Servings:6

Difficulty: Easy

Cook Time: 30-60 min

Treat your loved ones to Sam's delicious holiday treat. This coconut cake is made with three kinds of coconut and its packs lots of flavor.

Ingredients

For cake

1½ stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

6 egg whites

2 ¼ cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coconut flavor

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup flaked coconut

For Icing

2 sticks butter

½ cup shortening

1 ½ pounds confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon coconut flavor

4-5 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk

1 ½ cups flaked coconut

For Garnish

2 ½ -3 cups flaked coconut (to cover cake)

Cooking Directions

To Make the Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter liberally and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

In an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Slowly add the egg whites until incorporated. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, the baking powder and the salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until incorporated but don't over mix. Add the coconut flavoring, and the coconut milk until combined . Add 1 cup of flaked coconut.

Divide the batter equally between the two prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to the touch. Let cool in pan on wire racks until cakes are completely cool, then carefully unmold. Using a serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally into 2 equal layers (creating a total of 4 layers).

To Make the Icing

Cream the butter, shortening, and confectioner's sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Beat in the coconut flavoring and the coconut milk.

In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups of the whipped frosting and 1½ cups of flaked coconut. Set aside.

Assembling the Cake

When ready to ice the cake, place the first cake layer on serving dish. Dollop 1/3 of the frosting with coconut flake added to it, and spread evenly with an offset metal spatula. Continue this process with each layer, smoothing over the extra frosting that may ooze out between each layer.

With the remaining frosting (that does NOT contain flaked coconut), frost the top and sides of cake. Finish by gently pressing the remaining 2 1/2 – 3 cups of flaked coconut on the frosted cake, covering it entirely.

This recipe was styled by chef Karen Pickus for Good Morning America.