Haupia Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (18 ounce) box cake mix
• 1 cup coconut milk, divided
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• shredded coconut (amount needed to sprinkle over entire cake)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Recipe

• 1 make cake & whipped cream frosting: preheat oven according to directions on cake mix. grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans.
• 2 prepare the cake according to the package directions, using 2/3 cup of the coconut milk, water, and egg whites.
• 3 when cakes are finished baking, cool and cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers. if your top layers are mound-shaped, cut them so they are flat. (if your layers aren't flat, your filling/frosting will seep off the cake and you'll have a mess.)
• 4 soften gelatin in remaining 1/3 cup of coconut milk. dissolve over hot water. cool completely.
• 5 in a bowl, whip the heavy cream. fold the gelatin mixture, sugar, and extract into the whipped cream. chill frosting until it is of spreading consistency.
• 6 make haupia filling: in a small bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, cornstarch and water. set aside.
• 7 in a saucepan, heat the coconut milk. when hot, add the sugar mixture. cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. remove from heat. stir in vanilla and cool.
• 8 chill the filling until it is of spreading consistency.
• 9 assemble the cake: spread the haupia filling between each cake layer (spread it on pretty thickly, about 1/2" thick or so). you'll have the following layers: cake, filling, cake, filling, cake, filling, cake.
• 10 refrigerate assembled cake until set.
• 11 frost entire cake with whipped cream mixture. sprinkle coconut all over the cake sides and top.
• 12 keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
• 13 note: cooking times are approximate and do not include chilling times.