Ingredients

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
• 2 Large Eggs
• 2 Large Egg Whites
• 1 tablespoon Coconut Extract
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 1/3 cup Coconut Milk

Filling

• 1 1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream, divided
• 4 teaspoons Corn Starch
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 1/4 cups Shredded Sweetened Coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Icings

• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 12 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• 2 cups Shredded Sweetened Coconut, toasted

Directions

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350F; prepare three 8-inch round baking pans, line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the sides
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, butter, eggs, sour cream and extracts; beat on medium speed until well incorporated, 2 minutes; scrape down the bowl as needed
3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients; alternate adding half the dry ingredients and half the coconut milk at a time and mix just until the flour starts to incorporate; use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl; stir the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure it’s well mixed
4. Divide the batter evenly between the three pans, 1 2/3 cups of batter per pan; bake at 350F for 20-24 minutes; rotate pans halfway through baking
5. Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean; remove and allow the cakes to cool completely
6. Toast the coconut in the preheated oven; line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread the coconut evenly on the pan; bake for 5-8 minutes until desired color is reached; transfer to a bowl until cooled completely

Filling

1. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and corn starch; whisk until thickened; add additional heavy cream if necessary to get a liquid consistency
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat; add remaining heavy whipping cream, sugar and shredded coconut; heat the mixture, stirring occasionally just until the mixture is nearly boiling
3. Add the cornstarch mixture and continuing to heat over medium high heat until the mixture is thickened; stirring constantly; whisk in the vanilla extract last
4. Set the mixture aside and allow it to cool completely

Frosting

1. Once the cake and filling have cooled, prepared the frosting; in a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and cream cheese; beat on medium-high speed using the paddle attachment; beat until smooth and creamy
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time; as the mixture thickens, add the vanilla extract

Assembly

1. Divide the coconut filling in half; place the bottom layer of cake on a 8-inch cake board; pipe a dam of frosting around the outside edge of the cake using a large round piping tip
2. Fill the center with the coconut filling and gently spread evenly; place the second layer of cake and repeat the above steps
3. Place the final layer of cake on top; ice the top and sides of the cake with the cream cheese icing
4. Pat the shredded coconut into the frosting, covering the cake as throughly as possible
5. Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving; keep covered in an airtight container to prevent the cake from drying out