Servings:

10 to 12

Yield:

1 6-inch layer cake

This cake is a coconut lover's dream. It's a towering creation of six tender cake layers sprinkled with shredded coconut and filled with a rich coconut custard. Frosted with mountains of billowy seven-minute frosting, it becomes even taller. The finishing touch is more sweetened shredded coconut, pressed into the frosting to adhere.

The layers are made with sour cream, which makes the cake tender and airy. The coconut filling is enriched with both egg yolks and cornstarch, so it's stable to hold this lofty cake together. Make it for a special occasion— there’s nothing better for a coconut fan than this for their birthday or anniversary cake.

Ingredients

Coconut Cream Filling

6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
1 cup sweetened angel-flake coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tbsp unsalted butter, for wrap

Cake

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 cups sifted cake flour, not self-rising, plus more for pans
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup superfine sugar
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
⅔ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 ounces (about 3 ¾ cups) sweetened angel-flake coconut
Seven-Minute Frosting for Coconut Layer Cake

Directions

Make the Coconut Cream Filling

Whisk egg yolks:

Place egg yolks in a large bowl; whisk to combine; set bowl aside.

The filling may be made up to one day ahead and kept, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.
Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt; add milk and cook:

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
Temper eggs and add to milk mixture:

Whisk 1/2 cup hot milk mixture into the reserved egg yolks to temper. Slowly pour warm yolks into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook slowly, stirring, over medium-low heat, until mixture begins to bubble, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and vanilla.
Transfer filling to bowl, cover, and chill:

Transfer filling to a medium mixing bowl. Lightly butter a piece of plastic wrap, and lay it directly on top of filling to prevent a skin from forming. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
Make the Cake

Preheat oven and prep pans:

Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange two racks in the center of the oven. Line the bottom of three 6-by-2-inch buttered round cake pans with parchment paper. Dust the bottom and the sides of the cake pans with flour, and tap out any excess.

Alternatively, you can bake the batter in two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, but the layers will be slightly thinner. (Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack in the oven to catch any spills).
Sift dry ingredients:

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set the bowl aside.
Cream butter and sugar:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-low speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar, and keep beating until the mixture is fluffy and light in color, about 3 minutes.
Add egg yolks gradually:

Gradually drizzle in egg yolks, beating on medium-low speed between each addition until the batter is no longer slick. Beat until the mixture is fluffy again, about another 3 minutes.
Add dry ingredients and sour cream, alternating:

Alternate adding flour mixture and sour cream to the batter, a little of each at a time, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in vanilla.
Divide batter between pans and bake:

Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans in the oven, if needed, for even browning.
Cool:

Transfer cake pans to wire racks to cool, about 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, and let cool completely on racks, tops up.
Assemble Cake

Split layers and spread coconut, then cream filling:

To assemble, remove parchment paper from the bottoms of cakes. Split each layer in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Set aside the prettiest dome; it will be used for the final layer. Place another domed layer, dome side down, on the serving platter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of flaked coconut over the cake. Spread a generous 1/2 cup coconut-cream filling over coconut flakes. Repeat the sprinkling and spreading process on the remaining layers until all but the reserved domed layer are used. Top cake with the reserved domed layer.
Refrigerate cake, then frost exterior:

Transfer cake to the refrigerator to firm for 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator, and frost the outside of cake with seven-minute frosting. Sprinkle remaining coconut flakes all over cake while frosting is soft.