Every great meal needs a great ending and this simple cake is up to the task.
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
SERVES 12
Cake
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups self-rising flour
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (more if needed to thicken)
7 ounces sweetened flake coconut
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray; line bottoms with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer, on medium-high speed, cream butter until fluffy and a pale yellow. Add sugar and cream another 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each. Lower speed and add flour and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and beat well; divide evenly between the three pans. Bake 25–30 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the layers onto cooling racks and let cool completely. Remove parchment from bottom of cake layers.
Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer—or using a handheld mixer—combine cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Lower mixer speed and add sugar; continue mixing until thoroughly combined and perfect consistency for spreading (adding small amounts of additional confectioners’ sugar as needed). Place first cake layer on a cake serving platter and frost; continue with next two layers. Use the remainder of frosting to generously frost the top and sides of cake until entire cake is completely covered. Carefully apply coconut to top and sides using cupped hands or a spatula.
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