Coconut Cake (work in progress) with Pineapple Cream

First of all let me show you my massacred coconut:

It was fun though.

Today I made a cake with the milk. The cake came out OK but I'm still working on it. I'll find a better recipe and do it again. But I made Pineapple Cream Filling for it and it made it work, it was a good balance. The recipe I used is generally what I use to fill my cakes but I also use it on my cupcakes as a taste tester. And I make it so often that I think I can repeat the recipe without cracking the recipe book. It's from a Sylvia Weinstock cake book and it is quite good. The base is her recipe and I wanted to use pineapple:

from Sweet Celebrations: The Art of Decorating Beautiful Cakes

by Sylvia Weinstock

Basic Buttercream Filling

1 large egg

5 egg yolks

2 cups sugar with 1/3 cup water

6 sticks unsalted butter cut into 1/4 sticks

1/4 cup pineapple juice (you could also use pineapple or coconut rum)

20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved

1. In bowl of electric mixer whip eggs with whisk attachment at medium speed until it turns pale yellow and continue while proceeding to next step.
2. In medium saucepan mix sugar and water until the sugar soaks up all the water and is mostly dissolved. Use a clean wet pastry brush and clean the edges of the saucepan to keep it from burning. Then over medium heat, boil the sugar until it reaches 240 degrees. Make sure to keep an eye on it.
3. With mixer still at medium speed slowly add sugar in a stream running down the side of the bowl. Beat for 15 minutes or until the outside of bowl is warm to touch.
   
4. Add butter one piece at a time. Let whip until it becomes smooth. Add pineapple juice. Then add crushed pineapple.

And here are my coconut cupcakes with pineapple cream. So far they're a hit. Tomorrow I finish the cake I started today. And now I go to bed! Good night.

“All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.” --George Harrison (my favorite Beatle)