Coconut Layer Cake (Shane's Birthday Cake)

Retro Recipe Challenge Deadline: Sunday, October 15 11:59 EST!!!

This is another Maglieri cake. This is another cake recipe taken from Peter Kump's Cooking School Cake Baking packet. This is another delicious cake with texture issues.

The coconut flavor is lovely and brightened by hits of lemon. The frosting is very rich from its coconut cream and butter (it's a bit much for me, actually). It has great coconut flavor, deepened by rum. I added a 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar to it make less slick.

But the cake is too dry and I'm not sure how to solve it. Add a half cup of milk, perhaps?

Coconut Layer Cake

Cake:
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsps canilla
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1 2/3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups sweetened grated coconut

Buttercream:
1 cup coconut cream
2 eggs, room temperature
16 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp white rum (I used 1 tsp. rum flavoring)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sweetened grated coconut
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325-degrees F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans, lining the bottom with parchement.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar until light. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating smooth between each addition, scraping bowl and beater(s) occasionally. Beat in vanilla and lemon extracts.

In a separate bowl, mix baking soda, powder, and salt into flour. Beat half the flour mixture into the butter mixture adn continue to beat until smooth.

Beat in the sour cream, followed by the coconut, and finally the remaining flour mixture.

Spread batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for about 25 minutes, until well risen and firm in the center. Cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes, then unmold onto a rack and cool completely.

To make buttercream, bring coconut cream to a boil in a small saucepan over low heat. Meanwhile, beat eggs together in a bowl. Slowly add boiling coconut cream to eggs, beating vigorously. Return mixture to pan and cook over lowe heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Strain into a bowl and let cool completely.

Beat butter until soft and light. Beat in cooled coconut mixture, a little at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Beat in rum and vanilla a little at at time.

To finish cake, place one round on a plate, trimming rounded top if needed, and cover with icing. Then top with other layer (again, trimming if needed) and cover with the rest of the icing. Press grated coconut all over the cake.

Grade: Flavor, A+; Texture, B-