PREPARE BATTER
Let eggs, butter, and milk stand at room temperature
for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl combine cake
flour, baking powder, and kosher salt; spoon flour mixture onto a square of
waxed paper. “It makes adding flour to the bowl much neater,” says Scott.
Butterthree 8x8x2-inch square orthree SxiVh-inch round cake pans; line
bottoms with waxed paper. Butter waxed paper and lightly flour; set aside.
COMBINE WET AND DRY
In large mixing bowl beat butter with an
electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 2 cups sugar
and 1
Tbsp. vanilla; beat 3 to 4 minutes on medium speed until well
combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Using
waxed paper as afunnel for flour, alternately add flour mixture and milk to
butter mixture, beating on low after each addition until just combined. “It
should be satin smooth,” says Scott. Divide batter among the three pans.
BAKE AND COOL
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until tops spring back when
lightly touched. Cool layers in pans on wire racks forio minutes. Remove the
cake layers from pans; peel off waxed paper and discard. Cool on wire racks.
DRAIN COCONUT WATER
With an ice pick or nut pick make holes in
two of the eyes with a pressing twisting motion. If eyes are especially
tough, tap top of pick with hammer. Pour coconut water into measuring
cup. “Some folks use this water as a replacement for part of the milk in the
cake layer recipe. I enjoy drinking the coconut water over ice.”
CRACK SHELL
Hold coconut in one hand and with hammertap—
somewhat assertively— rotating the coconut as you strike. “The goal is not
to smash it open, but to systematically tap and loosen the shell, so tap up
and down and all around,” says Scott. “Rotate and tap a bit more aggressively
as you go. After 2-3 minutes of this you will hear a change in the sound of the
tapping and then a cracking sound, which indicates the shell has been split.”
Separate coconut into pieces, tapping with hammeras necessary.
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