Martha loves the combination of fluffy white frosting and fresh coconut curls that adorn this cake. You can also top the cake with more sweetened or unsweetened coconut, toasted or not. If you don’t have square cake pans, use 9-inch round ones; the baking time will be the same.

　　

Ingredients

makes one 9-inch square layer cake

　　3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

　　3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

　　1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1 cup packed sweetened, shredded coconut

　　2 2/3 cups sugar

　　4 large whole eggs, plus 4 large egg whites

　　1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

　　1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

　　Seven-Minute Frosting (page 387)

　　Coconut Curls, for garnish (page 395)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-by-9-by-2-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pulse shredded coconut in a food processor until finely chopped. Stir chopped coconut into the flour mixture until combined; set aside.

　　

Step 2

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the whole eggs, egg whites, and vanilla; beat until fully incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the coconut milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition.

　　

Step 3

Divide batter between prepared pans, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 30 minutes. Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment. Reinvert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.

　　

Step 4

Using a serrated knife, trim the tops of the cake layers to make level. Place one layer on a cake plate, and spread top with 1 1/2 cups Seven-Minute Frosting. Place other cake layer on top, cut side down. Using an offset spatula, spread remaining frosting over entire cake, swirling to cover in a decorative fashion. Sprinkle entire cake with Coconut Curls, bending and curling as desired. Cake can be kept in the refrigerator, covered with a cake dome, for up to 3 days.

　　Reprinted with permission from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook by Martha Stewart. © 2005 Clarkson Potter