Toasted Coconut Sheet Cake

This is the time of year when I crave desserts that taste light and ‘summery’ –yes, even if I did turn on my oven to make them.

I know it’s hot (like really hot) but the taste and satisfaction of my tastebuds makes the 1-2 hours of heat in the kitchen worth it.

Lately, my summer desserts of choice have, in some form or fashion, included toasted coconut.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating that for most of my life, I absolutely hated coconut. Or at least I thought I hated it. The flavor I always thought was too mild and faint to make very much of a positive impression. Pair that with the texture of the sweetened shredded coconut which reminded me of how I’d imagine wet paper towel or napkins would taste, and I was thoroughly put off the stuff.

Then, about two or so years ago, I tried a hack that was a complete gamechanger for me so far as my feelings (or rather, my tastebuds) for coconut were concerned.

I tried it after/when I had toasted it.

And suddenly, I ‘got it’. I knew that I no longer hated coconut; I just hated it when it wasn’t toasted.

It’s really amazing what a huge difference the toasting makes for both the texture and the flavor. That soggy, wet paper towel or napkin texture is replaced with a crispness that pairs really well with the majority of desserts that are soft/creamy. But the flavor is undoubtedly the best part; it’s still somewhat subtle, but it’s now warm, nutty and even slightly buttery; perfect for pairing against fruity or vanilla flavors that are also often found in desserts.

If you want some indication of how thoroughly I’ve been converted into a toasted coconut lover, you can look to the right, type in ‘coconut’ and see what recipes come up on this blog.

I really, really, REALLY love it.

In full disclosure, this is not my first time at the coconut cake rodeo. I’ve made them before, but they were bit more labor intensive. Coconut Cakes are usually very light and fluffy, which requires them to be made with separated egg whites and baked in multiple layers. They also usually have a buttercream or frosting that’s also light and fluffy to give it added ‘airy’ texture, and those can sometimes have to be made over the stove at certain temperatures, which in and of itself is labor intensive. It’s a labor of love, but it is undoubtedly a labor.

Maybe that’s why I love this cake so much; because it involves absolutely none of any of that.

You guys, this cake is so easy to make you don’t even have to use a standing or handheld mixer. A wire whisk and a bowl will do just fine. It’s made with cake flour to ensure a light and fluffy crumb. Egg whites are in the batter, but they do not have to be pre whipped and folded in. There’s no creaming of the butter and sugar together because the ‘fat’ of the cake comes from both full fat coconut milk and a cooking oil (I used coconut, because duh). Vanilla and coconut extract and toasted coconut flakes are present and accounted for as well.There’s also no baking multiple layers; all of the batter is poured into a 13 x 9 baking pan so that instead, you have one great big ‘sheet cake’.

Now the cake is pretty moist enough all on its own, but that gets taken up a notch to a whole new level with the addition of a full fat coconut milk soak that you’re going to brush over it while it’s still warm. Don’t worry; it will not make it soggy. It will add both added coconut flavor and a fluffy moistness that will have you feeling on cloud 9. Unlike most coconut cakes, this frosting is not cooked. It’s just unsalted butter that’s gets beaten together with powdered sugar, flvored with more coconut milk, vanilla and coconut extract. AND THEN, just in case you still harbored doubts about this being a coconut cake, it’s topped with a generous handful of even more nutty, warm, buttery tasting toasted coconut flakes.

Guys, this cake is to DIE FOR. Seriously, it tasted just as good as some of the ‘fancier’ and more time consuming coconut cakes I’ve made before in the past and kinda made me want to kick myself for not finding this easier alternative sooner.

It’s a quintessential summer dessert and I highly recommend you try it. Stay cool!

Sharing at Fiesta Friday #648.