Winter White Velvet Cake

With coconut and nuts

Print Recipe

Servings: One 9-inch cake

Ice, snow, whipped cream — January has me thinking “winter whites.” So I tweaked my Grandma Perry’s red velvet cake into this white velvet version and served it on my mama’s cake stand. Make it a day ahead and chill to let the flavors “ripen.”

Ingredients

½ cup solid coconut oil

1½ cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon salt

2½ cups cake flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vinegar

4 tablespoons butter, melted

5 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup flaked coconut

½ cup chopped pecans

1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped (toss with ½ teaspoon salt)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line three 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.*
With mixer, cream oil with sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in salt and flour.
Add vanilla and buttermilk to batter. In a small bowl, pour vinegar over soda. After it fizzes, stir and add to batter.
Divide batter into 3 prepared pans. Bake 10–15 minutes until done and the cake separates from sides of pan (time will depend on pan size.) Brush one side of each layer with melted butter.
For frosting, cook flour, milk and vanilla in a double boiler, stirring constantly until thick. Cool. In another bowl, whip sugar and butter at high speed until fluffy. Add cooled, cooked mixture and blend into fluffy icing.
Frost cake and scatter each layer and top with coconut and nuts.