After watching the video of Chef Robert Carter making his signature cake on Martha Stewart, I just had to try it. (you can watch the video here… http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=a95264c02a752110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
—it’s a very fussy recipe (a lot of steps) but none of them are hard and the cake is delicious.  I had one lady come back for seconds (in the whole time I have known her, she would only eat half of her dessert and throw the rest away. grrr)  I also had a lot of people come up to me and state how wonderful it was and they asked me a lot of questions about it.  My husband said the frosting and filling were a little too sweet for his taste… but he ate the whole piece anyway

The cake has five steps:
1. The filling:
You make it the night before assembling the cake.. and it is awesome.  (I had to divide it into 2 part to whip it the next day. My 5 qt couldn’t handle the full load)
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/coconut-filling?lnc=5a79cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=recipecontent_food
2. The cake
Two 10” cakes.  At first, I was disappointed when I took them out of the pan.  They reminded me of corn bread… large crumb and very yellow.  I may try less baking powder next time… what do you think?  When you watch the video, Rob said a tsp and a half of BP, but the recipe on Martha’s website has 1 1/2 TBS… (The final cake tasted great so maybe no change is needed)
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/coconut-cake?lnc=5a79cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=recipecontent_food
3. Simple syrup
His recipe is half water, half sugar. 
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/best-simple-syrup-from-martha?lnc=5a79cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=recipecontent_food
4. The icing... This is very addictive.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/coconut-cake-frosting?lnc=5a79cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=recipecontent_food

5. The assembly:
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=a95264c02a752110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default

Bobby Flay did a throw down on this cake…and won… maybe I’ll try his next…
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/throwdowns-toasted-coconut-cake-with-coconut-filling-and-coconut-buttercream-recipe/index.html

here’s a couple of pictures…  the top wasn’t supposed to have coconut on it…but I got a little wild…opps.

Thanks for sharing - I love a good coconut cake!

YUMMM…both of them look really good. 

But Bobby’s does look a lot easier.  I like that he makes the filling and BC recipe from the custard…seems less time consuming.

There are a couple comments on MS’s website that others thought the PG’s recipe was a little too sweet also.  What part was the sweetest?  Filling?  Frosting?

Let us know if you make Bobby’s and how it turns out compared to the Penisula Grill’s.

GolfAddict - 18 September 2008 09:08 AM

There are a couple comments on MS’s website that others thought the PG’s recipe was a little too sweet also.  What part was the sweetest?  Filling?  Frosting?

My husband said the frosting and the cakes were too sweet.  I believe the simple syrup that moisten the cakes is the culprit.

GolfAddict - 18 September 2008 09:08 AM

Let us know if you make Bobby’s and how it turns out compared to the Penisula Grill’s.

Will do!  I can’t wait… I’m thinking I should make both cakes and have a blind taste test with a group of friends.  It’ll probably be a month or two though before I can do it though, I’m getting a lot of request for pies now…. they said they’re “caked” out.