Coconut Cake with Raspberry Lemon Filling and Cream Cheese Coconut Frosting

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously grease 2- 9 inch cake round pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper cut to fit. Spray the top of the parchment paper with more cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the coconut oil, butter, cream of coconut and the sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg yolks and beat until well combined. Add the salt, baking soda, baking powder, coconut extract, vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Add 1 cup of the flour; beat until combined. Add ½ cup of the buttermilk; beat well. Add another cup of four; beat until well combined. Add the rest of the buttermilk; beat well. Add the remaining ¾ cup of flour and beat until well combined. Beat in the coconut flakes. Fold in the stiff egg whites.

Pour the batter equally in the two cake pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top of the cake leaves a gentle imprint of your finger when touched lightly. It shouldn’t be wiggly in the center of the cake (or it isn’t baked enough). Cool the cake. After cooled, cover with foil and freeze the cake in the pans overnight or up to one week.

Filling:

Combine the thawed raspberries and the sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it gently simmer for 2-3 minutes. Let cool. Stir in the lemon zest.

Frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddles, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the cream of coconut, salt and vanilla extract; beat until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Beat in the coconut flakes.

Garnish:

Toast on a baking sheet for 8 minutes in a 350 F oven. Let cool; set aside.

Assembly:

Lay 3 inch wide parchment paper strips on the outside edges of a cake stand. Place the first frozen cake layer upside down on the parchment strips. Spread the raspberry filling on top of the cake layer leaving a 1 inch border around the cake. Place the other frozen cake layer on top; right side up. Frost the sides of the cake, then the top. Garnish with the toasted coconut flakes.  Let the cake sit and thaw at room temperature for 4 hours or over night.