“A tip to make in advance: After the cake has baked, allow to cool then wrap it tightly in a couple of layers of foil and put it in the freezer. This traps the moisture and makes the cake SUPER moist. When ready to assemble, it only takes a couple of hours on the kitchen counter for it to defrost. Another thing, chill time is needed for the curd. Plan in advance. From Southern Living.”
READY IN:
8hrs45mins
SERVES:
16
UNITS:
US
IngredientsNutrition
Cake
1⁄2 cupunsalted butter, softened
1⁄2 cupshortening
2 cupssugar
5 largeeggs, separated
1 tablespoonpure vanilla extract
2 cupsall-purpose flour
1 teaspoonbaking soda
1⁄2 teaspoonsalt
1 cupwhole milk (or buttermilk)
1 cupsweetened flaked coconut
2 tablespoons grated orange zest (orange only)
Orange Curd
1 cupsugar
1⁄4 cupcornstarch
2 cupsfresh orange juice (About 10 large oranges to get two cups of juice)
3 largeeggs, lightly beaten
1⁄4 cupunsalted butter
2 tablespoons granted orange zest (orange only)
Glazed Pecans
1 1⁄2 cupspecan halves
1⁄3 cuplight corn syrup
Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cuppecans, toasted and choppped
1⁄2 cupunsalted butter, softened
8 ouncescream cheese, cold
1⁄4 cupshortening
1⁄4 teaspoonsalt
2 tablespoonspure vanilla extract
4 cupspowdered sugar
Garnish
1⁄3 cupsweetened flaked coconut, toasted
Directions
For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2, 9-inch round pans and line with parchment paper.
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla and beat until blended.
Whisk together flour, soda and salt. Add to sugar mixture alternately with milk, begginging and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in one cup flaked coconut and grated orange rind.
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Divide batter evenly between the two pans.
Bake for 25-28 minutes until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks or remove from pans, wrap in foil and store in the freezer until ready to use.
For the Orange Curd:
Combine sugar and cornstarch in a 3-quart saucepan; gradully whisk in fresh orange juice. Whisk in lightly beaten eggs. Bring to a boil (5 to 6 minutes) over medium heat, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture reaches a pudding-like thickness. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and grated orange rind. If the mixture ends up with pieces of cook egged in it, simply push it through a very fine mesh sieve with the back of a large spoon in to a bowl. Cover, placing plastic wrap directly on curd and chill for at least 8 hours or until ready to use.
For the Glazed Pecans:
Combine pecan halves and corn syrup, stirring to coat pecans. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange pecan halves in an even layer in pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Stir using a rubber spatula and bake 3 minutes more. Remove from oven and arrange in an even layer on another piece of foil and let cool completely.
For the Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting:
Cream Butter, shortening and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar on low speed until creamy and well blended. Stir in pecans.
To Assemble:
Split cake layer in half horizontally. Place a layer on a plate or cake stand and spread with a thin layer of frosting and then curd. Top with a cake layer. Spread with another thin layer of frosting and marmalade. Top with third cake layer and spread again with frosting and marmalade. Top with final cake layer and frost sides and top of cake with the remaining pecan cream cheese frosting. Garnish with glazed pecans and toasted coconut. Serve with remaining orange curd.