What's Wrong With a Little Coconut Lust....

I wanted to get this recipe in to ya'll before Easter hits so you can be sure and get all your supplies in time and not have to fuss around with it.  Today's blog features a yumm-oh coconut cake that you won't want to miss.  It's based on my grandmother's recipe that I tweaked a little and personally, I think it's better than the original.

I have never celebrated Easter in the traditional way, there just wasn't much emphasis on the spiritual aspect of it as I was growing up.  Consequently, I tend to associate Easter with hiding eggs and candy and I'm okay with that.  I can remember dyeing eggs the day before with Meme in the kitchen and the little droppers of food coloring and the smell of vinegar as we dipped them.  She'd drop a few different colors into the cup and to me it was magic.  You had this cup of dark liquid and you dunk a snow white egg in it and minutes later ther's a robin-blue egg or a rosy pink one coming out.  I especially loved it when we had 2 or 3 eggs left to dye and she'd mix some of the liquids together and create a totally different color like lavender or a pale UT color. 

The next day we'd hide them and lose some and then eat what we managed to find.  Do you remember when it was perfectly normal to eat a egg you'd been playing with for 4 hours in 90 degree heat?  Heaven help us, we'd never do that now!

Those were good times with her.  I always knew there'd be egg hunts and I always knew she'd make a 9x13 Cream of Coconut Cake with green coconut grass with jelly bean eggs and a white plastic rabbit on top.  She used that same rabbit on top for as long as I could remember.  I don't know where it came from but it was always sitting on top of the cake. 

She and mama would cook "dinner" (aka lunch) and we probably had the same thing every time but all I remember is the Rice a Roni, rolls and coconut cake.  It was always a 9x13 cake when she made it because of the way it's constructed and the recipe, but I make it as a layer cake because there's nothing in the world more spectacular than a tall, snowy white, fluffy coconut cake.  It's an ethereal sight, no doubt.  Next time I go visit mama I'm going to beg that crystal cake stand from her cause a perfect coconut cake deserves nothing less!  Get your printer all warmed up so you can print this recipe out......enjoy!

 

Cream of Coconut Cake

1 pkg extra moist white cake mix
3 egg whites
1/2 C oil
1/2 C sour cream
6 oz can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved
1/2 C coconut, finely processed
1/2 t coconut extract
Whipped cream frosting (below)
Coconut for coating cake
Coconut grass, Jelly beans, marshmallow bunnies, chicks, etc..

Grease and flour (2) 8" round pans, preheat oven to 350.  In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, egg whites, oil, sour cream, pineapple juice, extract and water,  mix 1 minute on low then 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer.  By hand, stir in pineapple and coconut.  Bake at 350 till pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Be careful not to overbake.  While cooling cake make green coconut grass.   When cool, frost with Whipped Cream Frosting, cover with coconut and decorate.


Green Coconut Grass

1/2 C coconut
1-2 drops green food coloring

Place coconut in a small plastic bowl, add food coloring, put on a tight fitting lid and shake till all the coconut is evenly green.  Add more green until it's the color you like. Keep sealed till ready to use.

Whipped Cream Frosting

3 C heavy whipping cream, chilled well
1 1/2 C confectioners sugar
1 t vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat on high speed till med-stiff peaked.  Spread bottom cake layer with frosting and a little coconut, top with second layer and frost the entire cake with remaining frosting.  Coat with coconut.  Refrigerate until ready to decorate.

Use the green coconut grass to make a nest for jelly bean eggs and place a Peeps chick or rabbit next to nest.  Be sure and keep this cake refrigerated or the frosting will be too soft.  Easy and cute!