Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
Step 2
Make the cake: In a large bowl, at medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla bean paste and coconut extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 3
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4
Starting with the cream, alternately add cream and flour mixture until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 5
Evenly divide the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow cooling for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and place on a cooling rack until completely cool.
Step 6
Prepare the simple syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool.
Step 7
Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, and butter. Bring the mixture to a simmer. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Bring the cream mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and heat until boil. Remove from heat. Add coconut extract and salt.
Step 8
Strain the mixture into a large bowl and combine with the shredded coconut. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Step 9
Line one baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread 2 cups of shredded coconut and bake at 350°F for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to decorate the cake.
Step 10
Prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat together all the ingredients for the frosting until smooth and fluffy.
Step 11
Place the cold filling mixture in a large bowl and beat at medium-high speed until light and creamy. About 3-4 minutes.
Step 12
Assemble the cake. Evenly cut the browned tops of the cakes off. Carefully cut each cake into three horizontal layers. Place one layer of cake on a cake platter. Drizzle with simple syrup and spread the coconut filling over the cake. Top with a second layer of cake. Repeat the process with the remaining syrup, filling, and cake layers. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and apply the frosting to the top and sides of the cake. Press the toasted coconut onto the sides of the cake. Serve.
