Ingredients

The following ingredients have 48 Servings
  • 2 16.5-oz boxes white cake mix
  • 2 3.4-oz packages vanilla pudding mix (dry. Don't make pudding!)
  • 1 cup water (divided)
  • 1 cup oil (divided)
  • 2 cups sour cream (divided)
  • 6 large eggs (room temperature, divided)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut extract (divided)
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 & 1/2 8-oz packages cream cheese (cold)
  • 2 & 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (heaping)
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • fresh fruit (to garnish)
  • powdered sugar (to garnish, optional)

Instruction

  • Unless you have a huge stand mixer, you will need to make the cake in 2 batches. I only have 2 cake pans anyway, so it worked for me.
  • Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together 1 cake mix, 1 package of pudding mix, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup oil, 1 cup sour cream, 3 eggs, and 1 tablespoon coconut extract.
  • Scrape down the sides and bottom. Beat for at least 3 minutes.
  • Pull out enough parchment paper so that both your cake pans fit on it. Fold the paper in half. Use a pencil to trace the bottom of one cake pan onto the paper. Then cut out the folded paper so you get 2 circles. Place the 2 circles in the cake pans. Spray the sides of the cake pans with nonstick spray.
  • Divide the batter between the pans. Drop each pan onto your counter from a few inches up, so that some of the air bubbles pop.
  • Bake the cakes at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes. (The lower temperature is so that the edges stay tender and don't darken as much--important because there will be no frosting to cover it). I baked one cake on a high rack and one on a low rack. After 20 minutes, I switched the cakes and rotated each one 180 degrees. After 10 minutes, the top one was done and the bottom one needed 1 more minute. You will know the cakes are done when they do not shake in the center; when a toothpick comes out clean; or when the center springs back immediately when you press on it.
  • Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Leave the parchment paper on.
  • When the cakes are cool, use a sharp serrated knife to slice off the dome of each cake. Wrap each cake tightly in plastic wrap (use plenty) and transfer to the freezer.
  • Repeat all of the above steps with the other cake mix.