Halekulani Hotel Coconut Cake

Description

This fabulous cake comes from the majestic halekulani hotel on waikiki beach in honolulu, hawaii, where it has been the hotel’s signature cake for years. It’s a light, creamy concoction that sings “spring.” the cake is a light sponge cake, filled with pastry cream, and topped off with whipped cream.
I saw this in the local relish magazine that comes with our newspaper. I had to post it and share it with my zaar friends. 😉

Ingredients

• Cake Flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Vegetable Oil
• Eggs
• Water
• Egg Whites
• Cream Of Tartar
• 2% Low-fat Milk
• Vanilla Extract
• Cornstarch
• Butter
• Sweetened Flaked Coconut
• Amaretto
• Heavy Cream

Instructions

1. To prepare the cake, preheat the oven to 350f grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan
2. To prepare the cake, sift together cake flour, 2 / 3 cup sugar, salt and baking powder in a small bowl
3. In separate bowl, combine oil, egg and water
4. Add to flour mixture
5. Mix until smooth
6. Whip egg whites and cream of tartar
7. Gradually add 1 / 2 cup sugar and whip until stiff peaks form
8. Fold egg whites into batter until just combined
9. Pour into pan and bake about 30 minutes or until center is set
10. Remove from pan set aside to cool
11. Store in the refrigerator several hours before cutting
12. To prepare the pastry cream, combine 1 3 / 4 cups milk, sugar, salt and vanilla in a medium saucepan
13. Cook over medium-high heat until tiny bubbles form
14. Combine remaining milk with cornstarch
15. Add eggs and beat several times
16. Add cup hot milk mixture to egg mixture
17. Mix well
18. Pour egg mixture back into milk mixture in saucepan
19. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick
20. Remove from heat and stir in butter
21. Scrape custard into a bowl
22. Cover with plastic wrap
23. Store in the refrigerator
24. To prepare the whipped cream, combine heavy cream and sugar in a mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form
25. Add 1 cup of whipped cream, amaretto and 1 1 / 4 cups coconut to pastry cream
26. Stir well
27. Set remaining whipped cream and coconut aside
28. When cake is completely cooled, cut into three layers using a serrated knife
29. Place one layer on a 9-inch cake board or a serving plate
30. Place half the pastry cream on top and spread to edge evenly
31. Place second layer of cake on top of pastry cream and spread remaining pastry cream on top
32. Place third layer of cake on top
33. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with 1 / 2 cup coconut