Coconut Cake: two recipes

This picture was the best I could do.  Seriously, this was really good, like, coconut candy bar kind of good. I will make it again, if not just to take another picture.

My husband who gave up sugar a couple years ago had a piece.  Which then turned into five more pieces over the course of two days.  It's just that good.

The recipe is from Bon Apetite and I altered it so much that I could call it my own.  I will give my interpretation as well as the original.  For my interpretation - somethings need to be tweaked a little.  Mine was very dense.  It took longer to bake and without the risk of it getting too browned on the outside I had to take it out of the oven.  Mind you the browning was moist and tasted of toasted coconut.  But I didn't know that when I took it out of the oven for fear of it being over dry.  I should not have been worried it was immensely moist and dense- kind of like a coconut brownie of sorts. I would say next time I might bake it in a cooler oven, like 325F for longer. Or maybe one less egg. But I don't know we so much liked it just the way it was.

The frosting may seem strange but it turned into almost a Mounds bar quality by the time it cooled.  Even more so after it sat overnight in the fridge.  It was that much better the next day. 

It disappeared.  It was a hit.

What I did:

Lori Lipsmacker Coconut Cake

frosting, well more like a spread
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

cake
1 box French Vanilla Cake (it's what I had on hand)
4 large eggs
1 can cream of coconut (not coconut milk)

Preheat over to 350.  Spray nonstick cooking spray on a 9 x 13. Set aside.

Beat cake mix with eggs and cream of coconut for about 2 minutes. Pour into prepared cake pan.  Bake 30 to 45 minutes.  It will be golden. Test with toothpick in center before removing from oven.

While cake is baking mix together cream, buttermilk, salt, sugar and coconut. Set aside.

When you remove the cake from the oven, immediately put on frosting.  Cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Try not to touch it for four hours.  I know it will be difficult.  After the four hours you can eat it but I highly recommend you don't.  Instead put it in the fridge for at least a couple hours, even better over night. 

And the original:
Laurie Osteen's Coconut Cake
click here to go to the Bon Apetite Website for the recipe.

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
All-purpose flour (for pans)
1 15-16-ounce box yellow cake mix
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt


Preheat oven to 350°. Coat cake pans with nonstick spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess.

Whisk cake mix, eggs, oil, and 1 cup milk in a large bowl until no lumps remain. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans; smooth tops.

Bake cakes until a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix coconut, sugar, sour cream, salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon milk in a medium bowl to combine; set frosting aside.

Transfer pans to wire racks; let cool 5 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and spread frosting over tops of warm cakes, dividing evenly. Stack cakes. Let stand at room temperature, covered with a cake dome, or loosely tented with foil, at least 4 hours before serving.