Ina Garten Coconut Cake

Ingredients

• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup milk
• 4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy.
2. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in three parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix until just smooth To decorate the cake spread the frosting and cover with coconut flakes