White Almond Cake with Coconut Buttercream Frosting (my son’s 3rd birthday cake)
CAKE INGREDIENTS
• White cake mix (Betty Crocker)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup 2tbsp water
• 1 cup (8oz) sour cream
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 egg whites
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DIRECTIONS
• Preheat oven 325°F. Grease 6” round pan with coconut oil and all purpose flour.
• Stir together the white cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until well mixed. Pour in the water, sour cream, vegetable oil, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg whites, and beat with an electric mix on low until all the ingredients are mixed and moistened but some lumps still remain, 4 minutes.
• Cut washcloth into strip same size as baking pan. Wet cloth with cold water and wrap around pan sides, use safety pin to hold together. (This keeps the cake baking even with a flat top instead of forming a dome which makes it easier for decorating.)
• Measure 2 cups of batter and pour into the cake pan. This recipe makes all 3 layers of cake. You’ll end up with an even amount of 2 cups of batter per layer for the 6” round pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top is a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45mins.
• Let cake cool about 10-15mins.
• Flip over confidently onto a cooling rack.
• Let cool until it’s barely warm to the touch.
• Wrap cake in plastic wrap twice then in aluminum foil and place in ziplock bag then put in freezer until ready to thaw and decorate.
(Note: 9in round: 2.5cups batter, 325°, 35mins)
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COCONUT BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or ½ pound), softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like soft serve ice cream.
• 3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon coconut extract
• Up to 4 tablespoons heavy cream, half and half, or milk **heavy cream is best
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DIRECTIONS
• Beat the softened butter for a minutes with a mixer using the paddle attachment on medium speed.
• Turn off the mixer and add the 3 cups of sifted powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. The mixture will look clumpy – don’t worry, it’s suppose to!
• Increase mixer speed to medium and add the vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of cream and beat for 2-3 minutes until it is whipped, fluffy, and creamy in appearance.
• If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining cream 1 tablespoons at a time.



















