Coconut Butter Cream Frosting

Full recipe for Coconut Butter Cream at the bottom of this post!

I was never a fan of coconut growing up.My Mom always made huge coconut cakes too, so I was the odd-ball.

She made them totally from scratch too.She bought the real coconuts and used the coconut water and grated the coconut by hand.The whole process from baking the cake to assembling and icing seemed to take for ever.I figured out after I grew up it seemed that way because it did.

Years past and the frozen coconut came out.Mom switched many years ago and now that is all that she uses.I always used the coconut in the bags you purchase from the shelf when I did start to make the occasional recipe which called for coconut. This is totally different from the frozen coconut.Like mom says, you really can't tell the difference between the frozen and fresh grated.You can tell the difference however, in the other kind.
Once Mom pointed out the difference to me, I could tell it right off the bat.There is a big difference in taste and texture, and now the frozen is all that I use as well.

So, if I have one thing to stress about this recipe, it is to use the frozen coconut and not the shelf coconut, unless you choose to use fresh grated.....My hat off to you if you still take that route.

If you have a basic butter cream recipe that is already your favorite, more than likely you can just turn it into a coconut butter-cream yourself with that recipe.If your recipe calls for milk or cream of some kind, just replace it with coconut milk, and do the same with the vanilla extract using coconut instead.


I make the cake itself two different ways.
The first way is from scratch and makes a 2 layer cake.

CAKE FROM SCRATCH!
I use my VERY VANILLA CAKE recipe and make just a couple substitutions.I use coconut milk instead of buttermilk, and I use coconut extract instead of vanilla, and use the Coconut Butter Cream Icing. It is one of my favorites when I have time to make it.
Here is the recipe from scratch> CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE
The second is a semi scratch that starts with cake mix but ends up being absolutely fabulous.This makes a 3 layer cake with one layer left over to freeze for a small cake later or as a nice treat to give to a friend.See the post on my SINGLE LAYER CAKES BY CLICKING HERE

SEMI SCRATCH  BOX MIX!
Simply start with 2 boxes of coconut cake mix.When making the cake go by the directions on the box making a few adjustments. 
Add one extra egg yolk than the recipe calls for with each box (JUST THE YOLK) This will add a richer flavor and change the texture of a boxed cake mix to more like a cake from scratch..Substitute the water the box mix calls for with coconut milk, this helps to give a fresh coconut taste.Add a 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract as well.This will help to freshen up the coconut taste that can sometimes taste artificial in box mixes.Bake as called for by the box recipe.You may brush tops of cakes with coconut milk while still warm if you choose.


Jodies Kitchen Coconut Butter Cream Frosting
2 sticks salted butter room temp 
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted. This depends on how sweet and the consistency you want the frosting.
2 tsp.coconut extract
3 TBS. Coconut Milk
2 to 4 (6 ounce) bags frozen coconut (optional) you would need all 4 for a 3 layer cake.

Cream butter well.Then add small amounts of sugar at the time creaming in between each addition.Add extract and coconut milk.Cream everything very well.This can be refrigerated for later use, just bring up to room temp for frosting cakes.
Once cakes are cooled you may frost and add the coconut flakes to decorate.
This recipe should frost a 2 layer cake, but can be double or tripled easily.