Let's Make: Coconut Layer Cake (with a Gluten-free twist)

Ingredients:

Coconut Cake:

143 g Almond meal

143 g Brown rice flour

10 g Baking powder

5 g Baking soda

5 g Salt

170 g Butter (softened) 

330 g Sugar

150 g Egg whites (room temperature) 

120 g Sour cream (room temperature) 

10 g Vanilla extract

240 g Coconut milk

100 g Sweetened Shredded Coconut

Coconut Cream Cheese Buttercream:

227 g Butter (softened)

227 g Cream cheese (room temperature)

5 g Vanilla extract

2 g Salt

600 g Powdered sugar

250 g Sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Grease three 22 cm (9") cake tins, line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, and grease them as well. 

In a large bowl combine almond meal, brown rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment add butter and sugar, and beat on high for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg whites, this will cause a bit of splitting at first, just keep going adding small amounts of the dry mixture to help mitigate separation as you proceed.

Scrape down bowl from time to time to make sure nothing is hiding on the bottom or edges. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and then the coconut milk until combined. 

Weigh into prepared cake tins to get even layers. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes (depending on oven) or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Place on a wire rack and allow to cool in the tins before turning out and removing the parchment paper. Let them come to room temp before decorating (chilling works great with cakes as well).

For the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment add the butter and cream cheese and beat on high for 2 minutes until some air has fluffed it up a bit. Beat in vanilla extract and salt. 

Remove the bowl to a scale, fit a sieve over the top of the bowl, and add your powdered sugar. Sift the powdered sugar through the sieve to ensure that their aren't any lumps in the finished frosting.

Return the bowl to the stand mixer and beat on low at first (to prevent a powdered sugar explosion), increasing speed as it gets incorporated and beat for a few minutes until pale and aerated. 

To decorate the cake: Using a turntable or plate, place your first cake layer and add a fist-sized dollop of the cream cheese buttercream. Spread it out evenly with an offset spatula. Place the next cake layer on top of it, ensuring that it lines up on all sides, and repeat the frosting procedure.

Add the last cake layer on top of that, pouring out the remaining buttercream on top and working it evenly over the outside of the cake. Just take your time, while remembering that it doesn't have to be perfect. Sprinkle the shredded sweetened coconut on top pressing it in as go. Then press it onto the sides to create an even distribution all around.

Chill the cake for 30 minutes or so before to help it setup for cutting, then enjoy!