Coconut Cake, Another Way

This is the recipe for the coconut cake that Bobby Flay made when he won the challenge to the Plantation Grill's chef, Robert Carter.

Toasted Coconut:
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Coconut Simple Syrup:
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Coconut Custard:
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons coconut rum (recommended: Malibu)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Coconut Filling:
3/4 cup coconut custard (recipe above), cold
3/4 cup very cold heavy cream

Coconut Buttercream:
3 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup coconut custard (recipe above) (cold)
Pinch fine sea salt

Cake:
2 tablespoons softened butter, for pans
2 1/4 cups cake flour, plus more for pans
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, slightly cold

For the toasted coconut:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Spread the coconut evenly onto a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden brown, stirring once, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the coconut sit in the oven until very dry and crunchy, about 15 minutes longer.

* * * * * * * * *

For the simple syrup:
Bring water and sugar to a boil. Stir in the coconut, remove from the heat and let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Strain the liquid into a clean saucepan, bring to a boil and let cook until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

* * * * * * * * *

For the custard:
Combine the milks and vanilla bean and seeds in a medium nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.

Whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture then return the mixture to the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the rum and vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.

* * * * * * * * * *

For the filling:
Combine the custard and cream in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.

* * * * * * * * * *

For the buttercream:
Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the coconut custard and salt and beat until combined and smooth.

* * * * * * * * * *

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9 by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.

Whisk together the milk, egg whites, vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With mixer running at low speed, add the butter, one piece at a time and continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1/2 cup of the milk mixture, increase speed to medium and beat 30 seconds more. Scrape sides of bowl and mix for 20 seconds longer. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pan and smooth the tops using a rubber spatula.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in the pan on baking rack for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the side of the pan and invert cakes onto the baking rack, removing parchment paper, and let cool completely, about 45 minutes.

* * * * * * * * *

To Assemble:
Using a long serrated knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Reserve 1 of the flat bottom layers for the top of the cake. Place another layer on a cardboard round cut side up and brush with some of the coconut simple syrup. Spoon 1/3 of the coconut filling onto the cake and using a small offset metal spatula, spread it into an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the cake. Repeat with 2 more layers. Brush the cut side of the reserved cake layer with the remaining syrup. Place the layer cut side down on top of the cake.

Frost the sides and top of the cake with the buttercream. Pat the coconut onto the sides of the cake and sprinkle the remaining coconut on the top of the cake.

******************************************************************

Comments from viewers of the Food Network who actually made the cake:

Kim wrote: "Wonderful!!!" *****

I was looking for a Coconut cake recipe and came across it one, I'm glad I did! I made this friday and yes it takes 4+ hrs but it's worth it. I couldn't believe how light it was. I did make one addition to the recipe i added coconut extract to the cake. My friends raved over it and asked when I'll be making another one.

Lauren wrote: "A Showstopper!" *****

This cake takes much time and effort, but it is wonderful. Perfectly balanced flavor, not too dense, but absolutely satisfying. I chose to make this cake because almost every single review had nothing but good things to say about this cake. I did add more powdered sugar to the buttercream, but everthing else you should follew to a T. Such a great cake! I can never keep it around, it is usually eaten up on the same day that I make it.

Pam wrote: "Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Surprise" *****

I made this cake to surprise my daughter and son in law for their rehersal dinner and WOW ...the best and hardest cake I ever made but sooooo worth it. Delicious , moist , coconutty , yummmm!!! As long as you have the time and make sure you have all the ingredients you and your guests will not be disappointed. I keep getting requests from family to make it again and again!

Norma wrote: "Sinfully light and devilishy delicious" *****

I made this for desert on New Year's Day, the whol family was amazed at how light this cake was. I applied all the ingredients in the recipe but simplified the directions by making the filling first so it will be cooled down. Next I made the simple syrup and set it aside to cool down. Then I made the cake by mixing the dry ingredients in a bowl, then mixing the wet ingredients starting with mixing the sugar with the butter first then adding the eggs, mixing well, then added the rest of the wet ingredients, mixing well and adding the dry ingredients to the wet mix and mixed it well with my mixer and then baked it according to Bobby's instructions. I made the cake, filling and simple syrup a day ahead then finished the cake the next day. It was amazing.

Katalin wrote: "Too much baking power" **

Well... this cake tasted like baking powder with some light coconut flavor. One tablespoon +one teaspoon of baking powder is too much. I am absolutely amazed that in the 45 reviews- I read before wasting my time with this concoction- no one mentioned anything about the fact that you can taste the baking powder in the cake. Bobby?s ?famous? coconut cake ended up in my trash can and I learned my lesson to trust myself and NOT to use a recipe that is created by a chef who is NOT a baker.

Jessica wrote: "The best coconut cake ever" *****

I am a skilled baker for my age. I would not suggest this recipe if you're into simple, but if you want something truly decadent and you love coconut, there is no better recipe. This takes about four hours to make, but for special occasions it is so worth it. This cake really looks and comes out like the picture. The cake is super moist. Also, never make it without the real vanilla bean seeds, it makes the recipe. If you love fabulous cake, this recipe is the only way to go. I've made it three times already and everywhere I go with it I get non-stop complements.

Samantha wrote: "Wow, it was good" ****

I read the reviews after making the cake, but if you are reading the reviews before making the cake, listen to them! Most everyone hit everything right on. It was a HUGE hit! I had to change the frosting, as most people did. I added 1 tsp. coconut extract and 1 tsp. vanilla extract and 1/3 more sugar. Bobby's frosting was not great- too much butter. I also did not use the vanilla bean, I just added 1 tsp. vanilla extract. However, the cake and filling are absolutely perfect! Here are some tips 1. Make the custard and simple syrup a day early. If you like a lot of filling; double the custard, but it really is not necessary. 2. Note: you will divide the custard. So it's easier if you go ahead and separate it while it is hot. 3. Keep an eye on the toasted coconut, it toasts up very fast. I only needed about one cup of the toasted coconut.

Marlene wrote: "All That Was Left Was a Lonely Fork" *****

This coconut cake was wonderful. Thank you Bobby. Just the cake alone without frosting was moist and delicious. I followed the recipe exactly. I do recommend using parchment in the pans for easy removal. I also recommend mixing the Malibu rum with a little bit of 7up and having it as a cocktail while making this cake. Made dinner at the in-laws much more enjoyable. This cake took all morning to make, but was well worth it. It was devoured quickly. Family even bypassed the towering chocolate cake with ganache to try the coconut cake - even the little ones. The toasted coconut looks and smells too inviting to resist. Thanks again! This is a good one and it is replacing all my other coconut cake recipes.

Linda wrote: "SOOOO GOOD!!!" *****

A few years ago I dined at the Peninsula Grill in Charleston, SC and had the famous coconut cake....it was wonderful. When I saw Bobby Flay's Throwdown challenging this coconut cake, I just had to tune in. The fact that Bobby beat this cake was enough reason for me to try his recipe. HOLY MOLY.....my husband and I have made it 3 TIMES since the show aired!!! It is really good but quite time consuming to prepare but this cake does not disappoint!"

null wrote: "You have to try this cake" *****

I watched this episode of Throwdown in August and knew I was going to make it for Thanksgiving this year. I have to say it is time consuming and can get a little confusing if you are cooking several things at once. The recipe should tell you clearly that you should divide the custard. I was going right down the directions and mixed all custard with the cream. I ended up adding another half a cup of cream and doubled the rum. For the frosting I made a buttercream frosting with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and coconut flavoring. I also did not use the vanilla bean, but added a little extra vanilla extractin place of it. Be careful toasting the coconut. I burned two batches after the oven had been turned off. I place the last batch in the preheated oven for about 4 minutes, tossing once and then turned the oven off and it was perfect. This cake was a big hit and well worth the time and love. Delicious!

Sandi wrote: "BEST CAKE EVER" *****

Follow the recipe to a T and you will be the hit of the party. It takes a good 1/2 a day to make this cake but totally worth it. I served this cake at a dinner party after making it for the first time (always a bit terrifying) and it was gone by the next day. It's not too sweet, the cake it light, the cream/custard filling perfect and the frosting is on the money. Really 'bloody' good cake... pep

Susan wrote: "Incredible" *****

this cake was awesome - my only problem is that i found that the custard wasnt enough for the cake - it was a bit skimpy - next time i will double the custard filling -

Leo wrote: "Dream Coconut Cake" ****

I love this recipe - very time consuming, but it's worth it! If you love the taste of coconut, this is the cake for you! However, I just could never bake a cake that is spongy, even though I follow exactly what the recipe calls for - maybe I will try a cake mix next time ...will save me a bit of time, and will know that it will come out moist no matter what. As for the filling and the buttercream, WOW it is the best!!!

Sherilyne wrote: "Family favorite" *****

Fantastic! My sons told me to forget the pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and make the coconut cake again.

Nancy wrote: "best cake ever" *****

I have made this cake several times. It is very time consuming, but well worth it. My family has decided this will be our traditional birthday, Christmas and any other holiday cake.

Kathy wrote: "Worth the Time to make" *****

I had an afternoon to wait for a delivery to my home so i decded to make this cake ...WOW WAS IT GREAT!!!!!!!!! it is labor intensive but well worth it...that layer of tosted coconut inbetween each layer and the lightness of it ...crazy good....I also froze one and just didn't put the coconut on the outside till i was ready to serve it and it was PERFECT...YOU GOTTA TRY THIS CAKE... OK BOBBY...THIIS HAS TO GO ON THE MENU IN ONE OF YOUR NYC RESTAURANTS ...PLEASEEEEEEE

Meredith wrote: "Coconut Heaven!" *****

This cake took a very long time to make, and yes, the recipe could be written a little bit better. However, the results were both delicious and beautiful to look at. (Mine actually came out less homemade looking than Bobby's, with no mound in the middle!) I followed the recipe exactly, and it produced one of the lightest, moistest cakes I have ever eaten. I made it for a dinner party I threw for a few friends, and everyone had seconds--and talked about it the whole rest of the night. The only modification I would make for next time is that I would take a cue from Bobby's throwdown opponent and use cream cheese frosting. The butttercream actually had too much butter flavor, although it was certainly helped by the toasted coconut on the outside. I personally love cream cheese frosting, so I will stick it on just about anything!

Colleen wrote: "Excellent!" *****

My husband loves coconut cream pie and after seeing this cake on Throwdown he requested it for his birthday. I had very few problems making it. After reading the other reviews I doubled the coconut filling but I really didn't need to. I think the original recipe would have been enough. I did add a little coconut extract and I used pure vanilla extract instead of vanilla beans (they were small and way too expensive). My cake did fall slightly in the middle but you couldn't tell after it was cut in half, filled and iced. I did add a little extra powdered sugar to the buttercream, about 1 cup. It was wonderful! Everyone loved it and my husband ate two pieces! This recipe is a keeper!

Phillip wrote: "Coconut Nirvana" *****

I have made this cake twice, once after watching the throw-down for a friend's birthday, and again this week for someone who had to leave the first birthday party early and didn't get any of the cake. This is probably one of the top 5 cakes, of any kind, I've ever had or made, and I come from a long line of family bakers. It is not too sweet, extremely moist, and has coconut flavor in every layer. It's not difficult to make, just time consuming. I've made it over 2 days each time. However, there are adjustments to be made to the recipe: 1. I agree with previous posters that you need to double the coconut creme. I added a bit of coconut extract to the creme (about 1/2 tsp). 2. For the filling, I used a double recipe of coconut creme, (1 1/2 Cups)and doubled the whipping cream to 2 Cups. I whipped the cream separately, added about 1/2 tsp coconut extract, and folded it into the creme. I popped it back into the fridge until I made the cake the next day. 3. The buttercream frosting: I used the 3/4 Cup of coconut creme called for, but had to use about 3 Cups of powdered sugar to get this to a proper buttercream frosting consistency. I added about 1 tsp of coconut extract to this as well. An added bonus to doubling the coconut creme recipe is you have some of it left over for noshing if, like me, you let the birthday girl take home the rest of the cake. One small note: the instructions tell you to butter and flour the pans and then line the bottoms with parchment paper. The normal procedure, which I used, is to butter the pan, line with parchment paper, butter the paper, and then dust with bottom and sides with flour.

Anonymous wrote: "Coconut Cake" *****

One of the best cakes I have ever tasted!!

Anonymous wrote: "Excellent!!" *****

This cake deserved to win the throwdown. It was delicious. A little time consuming to make, but it is well worth the time and effort!!! I only wish they gave the ingredients by weight, because I like to weigh my ingredients when baking a cake.

Deneen wrote: *****

This has got to be the best coconut cake I ever ate; I'm not sure where everyone had problems with the amount of the ingredients; I had filling left over as well as toasted coconut; I do agree that 10 minutes is a bit long to toast the coconut and the icing is a matter of taste - we loved the cake including the icing. I feel that it was worth the time to make the cake; It will definately be repeated; My only issue with the cake is that my stand mixer is not a Kitchenaid so therefore I don't have a paddle attachment; I had to use the beaters;

Donna wrote: "Excellent cake!" *****

This cake is wonderful, it is involved but worth the effort."

Lisa wrote: "The competition cake might have been great, but...." **

My hubby and I have become slightly addicted to Throwdown, but this is the first recipe from the show that we've attempted. My hubby is an excellent baker, well known by friends and colleagues for his ability. He made this cake for my birthday and though the end product isn't done, I'm so frustrated for him that I created an account just to rate this particular recipe. Other reviewers have identified all of the mistakes in the recipe. IF (big IF) we attempt to make this cake again at our house, the other change I would recommend is to first beat the whipped cream into soft peaks and then fold in the custard to create the filling. This is a classic technique and is typically the way whipped cream or egg whites are combined with heavier ingredients. Also, I might suggest adding some coconut extract as I'm hoping for a complete coconut experience, but I haven't yet tasted the final product. I gave this recipe a two star rating for the problems with the recipe especially given the time and cost invested to create the final product.

Shalini wrote: "Crowd Pleaser!" *****

Everyone that tasted this cake was amazed and in love. I even got a marriage proposal (true story). One person tried to take the whole cake for themselves. I've had to make this cake multiple times for parties upon requests.

Anonymous wrote: "Flippin' Awesome" *****

Of course, I changed a few things to my taste I used an old family recipe and some of bobby's but, I baked this for my father's birthday and it was a HUGE hit! Coconut is his favorite cake and I had a hard time finding a place to order a coconut cake that tasted great. Trust me, it is worth the time and effort. Everyone can't wait for the next one and people who didn't even like coconut loved it. Just some advice make the simple syrup and custard a day before hand and the next day is a breeze. Love it, love it, love it!

S wrote: "Just too YUMMY!" ***

This cake is wonderful! (I'd like to know how to convert this to a waiste friendly recipe) I too had to make a couple adjustments with the simple syrup and the frosting. I thought it was heavier on the vanilla flavor than coconut. I didnt feel the need to double the custard or cream filling mine made plenty. I sliced this cake into 12 servings(slicing it as you would any round cake). Here is the breakdown of calories and fat in this recipe(Hate to break anyones bubble, but put your sneakers on if you're going to eat this) 826.5 calories; 50.+g Fat; 81+g Carb. Perhaps different brands of ingredients differ in Nutritional content, but this is what mine came out to.

Vanessa wrote: "Great recipe" *****

A lot of work but really worth it. I really hope everybody gets encouraged and tries it! Great job Bobby keep up with the great recipes.

Anonymous wrote: "There's A Problem With The Buttercream" ***

There's a problem with the buttercream frosting portion of the recipe. I think the butter measure is off. I used three sticks of butter with 3/4 cups custard and 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar and all I got was sweet butter. It's too much butter. I'm going to re-do it starting with 3 tablespoons of butter, that seems more proportionate with other buttercream frostings i've made. We'll see how that goes...

Kay wrote: "What a disappointment!" **

How this cake won the Throwdown for a coconut cake is beyond me, it did not have very much of a coconut flavor. The cake was delicate, but vertually flavorless. The amount of time that went into this was also a negative point. I would have ranked the cake a 3 star otherwise. Being from the south for the majority of my adult life, there is no way I would have ranked this as a coconut cake. I believe the frosting recipe has some errors in it. 3 sticks of butter to 1/3 cup of confectioners sugar is crazy, even with the custard added to it. The frosting tasted like sweetened butter and not frosting at all. My sister also made this cake and agrees with me on the results. I would not recommend this recipe to anyone.

Leticia wrote: "Worth the effort" ****

I first read the reviews before trying this cake. I've been looking for a new coconut cake recipe for my family. While there were some issues with the other reviewers on the syrup and buttercream, I decided to make the cake as it was written and then see what I needed to change. Well, I disagree with the simple syrup. It didn't need more sugar. The sweetened coconut provides enough, plus the 1 tsp/tbls of sugar. I thought it was just fine. Actually, the cake was so fabulous and moist, that it would even work without it. I will have to agree that the buttercream frosting was a little to buttery for me. I did add more powered sugar. For the next version, I will make a cream cheese frosting, but still add the custard to it as in the recipe, because that was a nice touch. Overall, an excellent cake. I will use the cake recipe (minus the cocounut milk) for all my white cake recipes because it is that good.

Judy wrote: "Did not live up to expectations" ***

The cake and custard in this recipe were very good, but the icing was wretched. It was mostly butter and tasted like a buttered cake. I might make the cake again but I would definitely find an alternative to the icing.

null wrote: "fabulous when corrected" ****

I have made this cake three times. I saw the throwdown and then promised to make the cake for a friend's birthday the following week. Fortunately, I made a practice cake. The simple syrup directions are incorrect, but I figured that out and fixed it. The frosting was like flavored butter, so I adjusted it by adding about two cups of powdered sugar and some vanilla and coconut extract. I could tell there wouldn't be enough custard, so I doubled that amount. I also didn't use as much cream in the custard filling. When I made the third cake, I added coconut to the custard filling. It was yummy, but not as moist as versions one and two (maybe the right amount of cream would fix that). I was happy to read that everyone else had to adjust the recipe as I am not much of a baker and was a bit unsure. After all the adjustments and corrections, it is the most delicious coconut cake EVER. I love the toasted coconut on the frosting, the light cake, and the delicious custard filling. I will make this cake my very own special occasion cake from now on.

aspen wrote: "Perfect" *****

This cake is awesome! It does take a lot of time...but it is worth it! With the simple syrup; I added the TBSP of sugar in the beginning and after straining the coconut out I measured the liquid and added an equal amount of sugar (about a cup) and boiled again (how you make regular simple syrup)

Liz wrote: "Amazing" *****

By far the best coconut cake I have ever had. I followed the recipe as written, but made a double batch of the coconut custard and coconut filling. Only drawback is it does take as long to prepare as shown but definitely worth the effort.

Darlene wrote: "Wonderful but messy" *****

I made this for dessert last night and it was a hit with all the adults, but not so much with my teenage son. It wasn't "sweet enough" for him. Which is exactly why we all loved it. It's very moist and creamy with a subtle but complete coconut flavor. The only problem I had was that my cakes sunk in the middle so when I cut them, they were very thin in the middle. So, I took the two thickest pieces and made them the top and bottom and put the thinner ones in the middle. Not beautiful, but very, very tasty. Definitely a repeat recipe in our house.

Lynne wrote: "OMG! I'M IN COCONUT HEAVEN..." *****

This cake is incredible. Lovely, delicate coconut flavor that is not overpowering or overly sweet. I had my doubts about the frosting at first (it was very buttery and not very sweet) but once topped with the sweetened toasted coconut-it was DIVINE! The recipe does take a bit of time, but well worth it. I did get confused on the Coconut Simple Syrup (it's a bit unclear on when to add the sugar.) I added the sugar during the second boil after the coconut was added. Bobby, you have out done yourself with this cake!

Michelle wrote: "TOO many typos!!" ***

I have to agree with what others have written here. The cake and filling were delicious, but the buttercream frosting, had I followed the actual recipe, was just sweetened butter, I had to add a lot more powdered sugar to make it into frosting. The coconut toasting instructions were off as well, too long and too hot of an oven! And of course the simple syrup you can tell is missing the second amount of sugar. If you know what you are doing, or where to look to fix the errors, this could be an awesome cake!

Sylvia wrote: "Does FN ever REPRINT Recipes?"

I was reading the reviews on bobby flay's coconut cake and there seems to be quite a few errors. Does the Food Network ever REPRINT recipes such as these (I've seen others)? And do they state on the recipe that it is a "REPRINT". Might be a suggestion some of us should make The misprints/errors on this recipes has discouraged me from baking would would seem a wonderful cake. The recipe writer/proofer gets one star.

Geraldine wrote: "excellent tasting" *****

This is one of the best tasting cakes I have ever made. However in the syrup instructions, I believe there is an error in the paragraph, in the way it is written.

Michelle wrote: "Hmmmm.." ***

Bobby, I love ya, but this cake was not worth the time and effort. It was a LOT of work and the result was too sweet and buttery. I can't imagine how sweet your competition's cake was, since yours was "lighter". It might just be a regional thing. Perhaps this is perfect for a southern dessert. Just too much for this CA gal! :)

Eileen wrote: "Outstanding cake" *****

A dear friend made this cake and shared it with us. In my 70 years of cake eating, I have to rate it the very best I have ever devoured. Moist, tasty, not to sweet, tho she did change the icing as her hubby dislikes buttercream icing. I am going to try my hand at the recipe. My friend could win blue ribbons on this one.

Cece wrote: "MMMMMGood" *****

I made this cake for 4th of July and it was a hit! It was moist, light and full of flavor. I too wondred about the simple syrup but I followed Julee's direction below to add 1 cup of sugar and it worked out fine.I made two cakes, and came home with nothing. It is one of the best cakes out there if executed prop

Ersilia wrote: "they need to rewrite the recipe" ***

When I saw this cake on throwdown I knew I was making it for July 4th- what could be more American ? Whoever wrote this recipe did it too quickly and did not test it. I had to go back to the store to buy more coconut to toast-- it only needs 8 minutes and leave it in the oven AJAR for an additional 5 minutes only. (My 1st batch was so overly toasted it had no coconut taste left.) I let the simple syrup base seep for 4 hours and it still didn't have that good coconut flavor. I also knew that the quantities for the custard would only make 2 cups of custard and doubled it to compensate for the all the layers that needed to have filling. Finally there must have been a huge typo on the buttercream - I needed to use 2 cups of sugar for the 3 sticks of butter just to make it pallable. Good thing I had additional custard for the buttercream. I'm sure this cake was much more delicious when Bobby originally made it- especially if it beat that famous Charleston recipe- but THIS recipe does not appear to be done properly, because there is no way Bobby could have one with the one we were given to use---

Anonymous wrote: "Cake was great!" *****

Definitely worth the effort. I do consider myself an experienced baker but I had a lot of problems with the recipe. The time written for toasting the coconut is much too long. I did make the simple syrup even though there is clearly a discrepancy in the directions. And the buttercream was too thin, I had to add more confectioners sugar. After saying all that, the cake was delicious, light, and moist... All the things you want in a great cake.

JULEE wrote: "Worth the effort!" *****

I, too, wondered about the instructions for the simple syrup. However, I wanted to try the cake after watching this throwdown and since I was already well into my prep - I just looked up the basics on simple syrup and made this adjustment. Boiled the water and 1 tbsp of sugar. Added the coconut, strained it and then added another cup of sugar and boiled and reduced again. It was fine. The cake turned out amazingly well - worth the effort. I would definitely make it again.

Anonymous wrote: "Help" **

Anyone else see the problem with this recipe. For the coconut simple syrup it says to boil water and sugar, add coconut, strain and add sugar to water and boil until thick. Ingredients only show one amount for sugar. What are we missing????