Coconut-Almond Cream Cake

Name: Coconut-Almond Cream Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 147 min
Ingredients: 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut; 1/2 cup sliced almonds; Parchment paper; 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1/2 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-Almond Filling; Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting; Garnishes: kumquats, currants, fresh mint sprigs

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Brooks Hamaker, from New Orleans, makes this cake with the precision of a skilled baker who has made his masterpiece many times. If the tops of the layers are a little rounded, he recommends leveling them with a serrated knife. "This is a tall cake," he says, "and it needs to be level if you want your friends to admire your work before they devour the cake--as they absolutely will."

By Southern Living Editors

Updated on January 6, 2022

Coconut-Almond Cream Cake — Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Prep Time:

30 mins

Bake Time:

47 mins

Cool Time:

1 hrs 10 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 27 mins

Yield:

12 servings

Ingredients

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Parchment paper
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 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-Almond Filling
Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting
Garnishes: kumquats, currants, fresh mint sprigs

Directions

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.
Line 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour paper.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a very large bowl.
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.
Gently fold butter mixture into flour mixture, in batches, just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
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).
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.
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.