Coconut Cake

            cooking spray

3          cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1          teaspoon baking powder

½         teaspoon baking soda

½         teaspoon salt

1          cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2          cups granulated sugar

3          large eggs

2          large yolks

½         cup crème fraîche or sour cream

½         cup cream of coconut

½         teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½         teaspoon coconut extract

1½       cups dried coconut

Nutritional analysis per serving (based on 12 servings): Calories 489 (41% from fat) • carb. 67g • pro. 5g • fat 22g

• sat. fat 16g • chol. 124mg • sod. 195mg
  • calc. 18mg • fiber 1g

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray two 9-inch round pans with cooking spray. Reserve.

In a bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Reserve.

Place butter in the Cuisinart™ mixing bowl. Insert the flat mixing paddle. Turn stand mixer to speed 1. Cream butter for 30 seconds, then turn to speed 3 for 30 seconds. Reduce to speed 2 and add the sugar, then increase to speed 4 until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce to speed 2 and add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating until batter is smooth before adding the next.

In a separate bowl, mix the crème fraîche and cream of coconut together with both extracts.

With stand mixer running on speed 2 slowly add the dry ingredients and crème fraîche mixture alternately, ending with the dry ingredients. Finally, mix in the dried coconut quickly but thoroughly. The batter will be extremely thick.

Spoon the batter evenly between the two pans and bake in the preheated 325°F oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool pans on a wire rack. When the pans are cool enough to touch, invert the pans on the rack and remove the cakes. Leave cakes on rack until completely cooled.

This is a very versatile cake. To make a layer cake, cut each cake in half horizontally and frost using your favorite frosting. One frosting that works extremely well is the Swiss Buttercream for both between layers and the outside of the cake. To be even more extravagant, frost with the buttercream but fill two of the layers with Chocolate Glaze. To finish, sprinkle the top of the cake with dried coconut.