Strawberry Colada Cake with Coconut Buttercream

Kirsten Kubert

Yields 12-16

Strawberry Colada Cake with Coconut Buttercream

Tender layers of real strawberry cake sandwich a lush coconut buttercream filling that's positively loaded with fresh pineapple and strawberries. All of which is tastefully enrobed in more coconut buttercream and dusted with shredded coconut. Strawberry Colada Cake is like a celebration of summer in every bite!

1 hr, 15 Prep Time

30 minCook Time

1 hr, 45 Total Time

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Ingredients

For the Cake:
• ½ C. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 C. granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ C. all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ tsp. salt
• 3 ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 C. 2% milk
• 1 C. strawberry jam ( homemade or quality store bought)
• 2 tsp. powdered strawberry flavored gelatin, optional
For the Coconut Buttercream Frosting:
• ¾ C. unsalted butter, softened
• 8 C. powdered confectioner’s sugar
• 2 ½ Tbs. pineapple juice
• 2 tsp. coconut extract
• ¼ tsp. rum extract, optional
For the Filling:
• 1/3 of total recipe coconut buttercream (from recipe above)
• ¼ C. fresh strawberries, diced
• ¼ C. fresh pineapple, minced (or well drained if using canned pineapple)
For the Topping:
• ½ C. sweetened, shredded coconut
• 1 large ripe strawberry, hulled
• ¼ C. fresh pineapple pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans with baking lube , or spray well with baking spray.
For the Cake
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until very light and fluffy. Mix in eggs, one at a time, until each are well incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder over in another bowl until combined. Gradually blend in about one third of the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until smooth. Then, with the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in half of the milk mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Repeat the additions by adding another third of the flour mixture, followed by the rest of the milk, and ending with the last third of the flour mixture, stirring well between each addition until it comes together to form a smooth batter. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed during the process.
4. Stir in the strawberry flavored gelatin at this time, if using. Increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for an additional 2 minutes to aerate the batter. Whisk the jam before gently folding it into the cake batter.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes in the preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the centers are set. A cake tester inserted into the centers should come out clean.
6. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans before turning the cakes onto wire racks to cool completely.
7. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting and filling.
For the Frosting and Filling
8. Whip the softened butter in a large bowl until very creamy. Blend half of the powdered sugar into the butter, until smooth. Stir in the coconut and rum extracts, as well as the pineapple juice. Blend in the remaining powdered sugar until a smooth but somewhat stiff frosting is formed.
9. To make the filling, transfer one-third of the frosting to a small bowl. Fold the fresh pineapple and strawberry pieces into the frosting until the fruit is distributed throughout. Cover both the filling and the frosting until the cakes have cooled and are ready to be assembled.
For Assembly
10. Level the cakes by slicing off the domed peaks so that the cakes are flat on both top and bottom, if necessary. Place one of the cake rounds onto a cake plate. Evenly spread the filling on top of the cake, leaving a half-inch clean border around the perimeter of the cake. The filling layer should be roughly equivalent in thickness to that of each layer of cake. Center the other cake round over the filling, gently pressing it downward to sandwich the filling between the layers. The filling should spread to the very edge of the perimeter of the cakes without protruding.
11. Cover the exterior and top of the layer cake with the coconut buttercream. Carefully press the shredded coconut to the sides of the frosted cake to adhere. Garnish the top with a cut strawberry and additional pineapple pieces.
12. Keep the cake refrigerated until about thirty minutes before serving. Allow the cake to come to room temperature for half an hour before slicing to serve. Leftover cake should be wrapped loosely in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator.