Coconut Cream Meringue Cake Recipe

Directions:

1. This cake owes its stunning looks to a billowy meringue frosting that’s spiked and browned all over with a kitchen torch.
2. Serves sixteen.
3. To learn more, read the article:
4. Cake Fancy
5. For the cake
6. Oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened; more for the pans
7. -1/2 oz. (3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
8. Tsp. baking powder
9. /2 tsp. kosher salt
10. Cup unsweetened coconut milk, well shaken and at room temperature
11. Tbs. pure vanilla extract
12. Cups granulated sugar
13. Large eggs, at room temperature
14. /3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
15. Large egg whites, at room temperature
16. For the filling
17. Cups heavy cream
18. Large egg yolks
19. /4 cup granulated sugar
20. Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour
21. Cup sweetened coconut flakes, toasted
22. Oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
23. Tbs. pure vanilla extract
24. Pinch kosher salt
25. For the meringue
26. Cups granulated sugar
27. -1/2 cups egg whites (about 10 large), preferably pasteurized, at room temperature
28. Make the cake
29. Position racks in the bottom and top thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
30. Butter three 9x2-inch round cake pans and line each with a parchment round. Butter the parchment.
31. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a 1-cup liquid measure, mix the coconut milk with the vanilla.
32. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
33. Add about one-third of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add half of the coconut milk and mix until incorporated. Continue adding the flour mixture and coconut milk, alternating the two and ending with the flour. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated. Pour the batter into a large bowl.
34. In a clean mixer bowl and using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a spatula, gently stir a large spoonful of the whites into the batter to loosen it, and then fold the remaining egg whites gently into the batter.
35. Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Level the batter with a spatula. Set two pans on the top rack and the third on the lower rack. Stagger the pans on the oven racks so that no pan is directly over another. Bake, swapping and rotating the pans’ positions after 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes total. Cool on racks for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks, remove the parchment, and cool completely.
36. Make the filling
37. In a medium bowl, whisk 1-1/2 cups of the cream and the egg yolks.
38. Combine the sugar and flour in a medium saucepan. Add the cream mixture and cook, whisking, over medium heat until smooth, 2 minutes. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking, until thickened to a pudding consistency, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the coconut, butter, vanilla, and salt and let cool to room temperature.
39. With an electric hand mixer, whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream to soft peaks. With a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the filling.
40. Assemble the cake
41. Put a cake layer on a flat serving platter or a cake stand lined with strips of waxed paper to keep it clean while icing. Top the layer with half of the filling, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula almost to the cake’s edge. Repeat with a second cake layer and the remaining filling. Top with the last cake layer.
42. Make the meringue
43. Put the sugar and egg whites in the metal bowl of a stand mixer (make sure it’s clean) and set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the sugar melts completely, 3 to 4 minutes. Rub a small amount between your fingers to make sure all of the sugar grains have melted.
44. Transfer the bowl to the m