Go Back Email Link

Pink Coconut Ice Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Moist, fluffy coconut cake with pink buttercream and coconut flakes
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 1 6-inch cake (serves 6)

Ingredients
  

Coconut Cake

  • 2 ¾ cups (326g) cake flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar preferably ultra fine
  • ¼ cup (58ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 teaspoons natural coconut extract *see note below
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 1 ½ cups (400ml) canned light coconut milk **see note below

Pink Coconut Buttercream

  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 ¾ cups (454g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¼ cup (65ml) canned light coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon natural coconut extract
  • Pink gel food color I used Americolor soft pink (link below)

Pink Coconut Flakes

  • 3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • Edible pink petal dust I used Rosie Sterling Pearl Dust by GSA (link below)

Instructions
 

Coconut Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottoms of three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and oil and coconut extract together with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually beat in egg whites until the mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the coconut milk after each addition.
  • Pour batter into the prepared pans, evenly distributing batter among the pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
  • Cool the cakes for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from pans and transfer them to a cooling rack.

Pink Coconut Buttercream

  • In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and fluffy.
  • Turn off the mixer. Add the powdered sugar and salt. Mix on low speed until the sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat until combined. Add coconut extract, then add the coconut milk a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Continue mixing on low speed until the buttercream is smooth.
  • Add the food coloring with a toothpick, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Beat at low speed until well blended. Fill and frost the cake.

Pink Coconut Flakes

  • Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Add a small amount of petal dust. Whisk together with a small whisk. Add additional petal dust until the desired color is reached.
  • Spread the coconut flakes out onto a large shallow dish. Sprinkle powdered sugar mixture over coconut with a small sieve. Toss gently with gloved hands.
  • Place the cake on a baking sheet to catch excess coconut. Gently press the colored coconut onto the sides and the top of cake.

Notes

For best results weigh your dry ingredients.
*Use natural coconut extract. Imitation coconut flavorings may give your baked goods an unpleasant flavor.
**If your coconut milk is separated when you open the can, simply place it in a blender to emulsify before using.
To find my favorite 6-inch cake pans, click here. To find the gel food color I used, click here. To find unsweetened coconut flakes, click here. To find the edible pearl dust I used, click here.