Orange Coconut Cake

This is the kind of cake you find tucked inside a stained, hand-typed church cookbook from the 1960s. A snowy white layer cake flavored with almond extract, layered with a tangy orange filling thickened with cornstarch, and finished with a glossy boiled-sugar frosting that turns into pillowy clouds as it whips. The whole thing sits somewhere between fluffy angel food and a classic Southern coconut cake.

The egg whites do double duty here. They lift the cake batter into a tender, light crumb instead of a dense pound cake, and they form the base of the seven-minute-style boiled frosting. That frosting technique, where hot sugar syrup gets streamed into stiffly beaten whites, is the hallmark of vintage American baking and produces a meringue-like icing that’s marshmallow-soft and impossibly light.

The orange filling is what ties everything together. Fresh orange zest cooked with sugar and a splash of lemon juice gives it a sharp, bright citrus punch that contrasts the sweet cake and frosting. Don’t skip the lemon juice. It keeps the orange from going cloying.

A candy thermometer is the safest path to the firm-ball stage at 244°F to 246°F (118°C to 119°C). Below that and the frosting won’t hold its shape. Above and it crystallizes hard.

Pro Tips

• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt at least twice. The cake’s lightness depends on it.
• Bring milk and butter to room temperature before mixing. Cold dairy curdles the batter.
• Chill the orange filling completely before spreading. Warm filling slides off the layers.
• Frost the cake the same day you serve it. Boiled frosting weeps after 24 hours and turns sticky.

Variations

• Press shredded toasted coconut all over the frosted cake for a true coconut cake finish.
• Use lemon zest in place of orange for a brighter, sharper citrus version.
• Add 1 tablespoon of orange liqueur to the filling for a boozy adult upgrade.