Coconut cake with cream cheese frosting

Ingredients:

Cakes

• 220 g butter, room temperature + extra for greasing the pans
• 2 3/4 cups cake flour, plus extra for dusting pans
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp of soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sour milk or kefir
• 0.5 cup coconut cream with sugar (from a 425g can), mix well
• 1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature, whites separated from yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract

Cream

• 220 g butter, room temperature
• 340 g of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3.5 cups powdered sugar
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 2 cups sweet coconut flakes

Preparation:

1. Position oven racks on the middle and bottom racks and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 9-inch (22 cm) cake pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Grease the parchment, dust with flour, and shake out any excess.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and coconut cream. In a large bowl, beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
   
   Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition, then fold in the vanilla and coconut extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour milk.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with clean beaters on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, 4-5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the beaten whites into the batter in three additions to distribute evenly (do not overbeat).
   
   Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until lightly browned and springy when lightly pressed, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes in the pans. Then, run a knife between the cakes and the sides of the pans and carefully remove them to the wire racks; remove the parchment and cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the cream..
   
   In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in half of the powdered sugar. Then add the remaining powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla and coconut extracts and beat well. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the cream is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or platter and spread 2/3 cup frosting on top. Place another cake layer, spread frosting on top, and top with the final cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the entire cake with coconut flakes, pressing gently to adhere to the frosting.