Cranberry Coconut Cake

145

106

By Amy Nash

Prep Time:

Bake/Cook Time:

20m - 25m

Yield:

16 servings

Layers of moist, rich coconut cake are offset by sweet-tart cranberry filling in this stunning Cranberry Coconut Cake. Then we top the whole thing with a coconut frosting! It’s a show-stopping holiday dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Rate it yourself

Products Used

Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag

1 lb. Confectioners Powdered Sugar Box

Ingredients

Coconut Cake

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
4 egg whites
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
3 cups cake flour*
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Cranberry Filling

4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla

Coconut Frosting

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup salted butter, softened
4 cups Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
Sugared cranberries, for decorating
Rosemary sprigs, for decorating

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, oil, and sugar on high speed for 2-3 minutes until light.
Add egg whites, whole eggs, vanilla extract, and coconut extract. Beat well for 2 minutes, stopping partway to scrape bottom and sides of bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk cake flour, baking powder, and salt to combine.
Add flour mixture alternately with coconut milk, mixing between additions. Stir in the coconut.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes until done. Dry crumbs should cling to a toothpick when inserted into center of each cake.
Cool completely on a wire rack before filling and frosting.
For the Cranberry Filling, combine cranberries, water, sugar, and salt in a large pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften and burst, around 5-10 minutes.
Make a slurry by combining cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stirring together with a fork. Slowly pour the slurry into the cranberry filling, stirring continuously until thickened and clear.
Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla extract. Cool completely.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting, beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl of a stand mixer for 3 minutes until smooth.
Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Add remaining powdered sugar, mixing again until combined. Add vanilla extract and coconut extract, then beat for 3-4 minutes until light.
To assemble, if necessary, slice off the tops of the cake layers so they are flat instead of domed. Set bottom layer on a cake stand.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a wide round tip with 1/4 of frosting. Pipe a border around edge of bottom cake layer. This will hold filling in place.
Spread half of cranberry filling on bottom layer of cake, inside ring of frosting.
Place second cake layer on top of cranberry filling and repeat piping a border of frosting and filling with remaining cranberry filling.
Top with final cake layer. Use remaining frosting to frost top and outer edges of cake.
Press coconut into sides and top of cake using your hands until covered. Garnish with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Dixie Crystals Insight

Recipe developed for Dixie Crystals by Amy Nash from @houseofnasheats.

Rate & Review

Sweetalk member

Apr 05, 2020

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS RECIPE!!! THIS IS DEFINITELY A KEEPER. I had written a whole lot more, but you have to sign in first before posting, or you lose the whole thing, which is what happened to me. So this is the shortened condensed version.

Sweetalk member

Dec 26, 2019

This was a hit at Christmas!!! I didn’t use all of the cranberry compote, so I topped my pancakes that morning then used abut on the plain Jane cheesecake someone else brought!!! The family absolutely loved it!!!

Sweetalk member

Dec 04, 2019

Made this for Thanksgiving and what a hit! It was the first dessert to disappear! My granddaughter has requested it for her birthday!