Coconut Strawberry Cake

Directions

Coconut Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 177°C. Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan with an 8-inch round piece of parchment paper and grease the sides and bottom to ensure an easy release.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, granulated sugar, baking powder, and Kosher salt until well combined.

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla extract, coconut extract, coconut milk, sour cream, and vegetable oil until smooth and homogeneous.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this could make the cake dense.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean and the top is slightly golden.

Strawberry Frosting

1. Crush or blend the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the salted butter with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.

3. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract to the butter. Beat until fully combined, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder and Strawberry Flavor Paste to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until evenly distributed.

5. Gradually add the powdered sugar, about ¼ C at a time, mixing on low speed to prevent powdered sugar from spilling. Once all the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and fluffy.

6. If the frosting is too thick, add a tsp of milk or cream at a time until the desired consistency is reached. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar, a tbsp at a time.

Assembly

1. Make sure that cake has completely cooled. Once cooled, frost the cake. Sprinkle shredded coconut to taste, and garnish with fresh strawberries.