Recipe: Park Tavern’s Coconut Cake - San Francisco Chronicle

The overarching idea at North Beach’s American brasserie Park Tavern is that every day is worthy of celebration. Just look at the restaurant’s dessert menu, which always features a birthday cake. Tall, layered and rich with frosting, the slice comes with a lit candle regardless of whether it’s actually your birthday.

The birthday cakes rotate every month, as created by executive pastry chef and former Chronicle baking columnist Emily Luchetti. It could be carrot cake, rainbow red velvet or Champagne chiffon — but Park Tavern owner Anna Weinberg’s favorite is the coconut cake. The cake also impressed former Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer, who called it “outstanding” in his 2011 review.

It’s easy to see why. The sponge is rich and buttery, infused with shredded coconut. Pastry cream sits between the layers, and then buttercream coated with toasted coconut hugs the exterior. To replicate the restaurant experience at home, add candles.

Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker

Park Tavern’s Coconut Cake

Serves 8

It’s easy to be tempted by Park Tavern chef Jennifer Puccio’s savory courses such as the porcini-truffle-rubbed poulet noir and miss out on dessert. Luckily, you can make pastry chef Emily Luchetti’s coconut birthday cake at home.

The cake

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

4 large eggs

2¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

1¾ cups loosely packed sweetened coconut

The pastry cream

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

½ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

⅓ cup heavy cream

The buttercream

4 large egg whites

¾ cup sugar

1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

To finish

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons dark rum (optional)

½ cup toasted coconut

To make the cake: Set rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line three ungreased 9-inch round cake pans with rounds of parchment; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing about 30 seconds and scraping after each addition.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Add vanilla to the milk. Using half the ingredients at a time, alternate mixing the dry and wet ingredients into the butter mixture, scraping frequently and mixing just until each addition is fully incorporated. Fold in the coconut.

Divide the batter equally between the cake pans and level the tops. Bake until a skewer comes out clean, about 20 minutes, rotating and moving pans from front to back after about 15 minutes. Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans, then run a knife around the edge of each pan to loosen and invert them onto a cooling rack.

To make the pastry cream: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Place the milk in a large heavy-bottom saucepan and bring to just under a boil over medium heat. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture, then transfer back to the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly with a spoon or spatula, over medium-low heat until the mixture comes to a boil and becomes thick enough to hold a line when you draw your finger across the back of the spoon or spatula; it will be about 165 degrees at this point. If it becomes lumpy, smooth out the pastry cream with a whisk.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Transfer the mixture to a glass or metal bowl set in an ice bath, then place plastic wrap directly on top of the pastry cream. Refrigerate until cold. Just before assembling the cake, whisk the cream until it forms soft peaks, then fold into the cooled pastry cream.

To make the buttercream: Whisk together the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until just beginning to froth. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water (the bowl should not touch the water) and gently whisk until the egg whites are hot. (You don’t need to whip volume into the whites, just keep them moving so they don’t cook.)

When the whites are hot, place the mixing bowl in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; whip on high speed until the whites cool to room temperature. Reduce speed to medium and gradually add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time. Mix in the vanilla and beat until the mixture thickens to a thick, smooth consistency.

To finish: Bring the sugar and ¼ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the rum, if using.

Meanwhile, use a serrated knife to horizontally trim any rounded tops on the three cakes. Brush all of the cut surfaces with the syrup. On a 9-inch cardboard cake round or serving platter, place the first layer of cake with the bottom side down. Evenly spread half of the pastry cream on top of the layer. Repeat with the second layer. Place the third layer, trimmed-side down, on top. Press gently to settle the layers together.

Brush away any crumbs. Starting with the sides and then ending with the top, use a large offset spatula to smoothly and evenly frost the cake with buttercream.

Use your hands to mound the toasted coconut on the sides and top of the cake. Cut into slices and serve.

Let's block ads! (Why?)