the ginger's goodie grams: April 2014

from Michelle Huxtable's cookbook The Gathering of Friends, Vol. 2

One of my sisters just turned 18. That's weird. I sometimes feel like I am still 18, even though I am married and almost done with college.

Anyway, she asked me to make a cake and I got really excited when she said she wanted it to be coconut. I love coconut. And my older sister's amazing mother-in-law has the BEST coconut cake recipe ever. EVER. If you like coconut, you will love this.

I N G R E D I E N T S

--1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

--3 cups sugar

--6 large eggs

--3 1/2 cup flour

--2 tsp. baking powder

--1 cup heavy cream

--1 tsp. coconut extract

--2 tsp. vanilla extract

--for the buttercream vanilla frosting--

--1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

--1/3 cup heavy cream

--3 tsp. vanilla extract

--8 cups powdered sugar

--2 cups shredded coconut

D I R E C T I O N S

--Preheat oven to 325 degrees. spray three 9-inch round cake pans with pam and set aside.

--In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until combined.

--Add in the eggs and beat well until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
--Meanwhile, in another bowl, sift flour and baking powder.

--Alternate adding in the heavy cream and the sifted flour/baking powder into the egg/butter mixture, starting and ending with the heavy cream.

--Mix in the coconut extract and vanilla.

--Evenly pour the cake mixture into the three cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

--Once the cake is completely cooled, frost each layer with the Buttercream Vanilla Frosting.

--While the cakes are cooling, begin with the frosting by combining the softened butter, cream, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment.

--Slowly add the powdered sugar to it, making sure you don't create a giant cloud of sugar all over you during the process.

--Whip until smooth, and now it's ready use!

--After frosting each layer, sprinkle the top of the cake as well as the sides with as much coconut as you prefer. Enjoy!

from kitchentrialanderror.blogspot.com

This cake tasted so fresh and felt like spring (as much as a cake could feel like a season). However, you can't judge how the cake may turn out...like mine. But I didn't care. I served myself three slices before putting plastic wrap over it and putting it in the refrigerator to practice self-discipline. I think the trick to this frosting is to add some more sugar to the frosting, or place it in the fridge and chill it for 30 minutes. No matter what, the taste will be divine!

Note: This recipe uses 6" size cake pans. If you only have 8" or 9" pans, I recommend doubling the recipe. I did not have 6" cake pans, but I did not think they would be too hard to find. I started my search at a grocery store near my house. No luck. So then I thought, Macy's should have some! Nope. I was getting frustrated, but I was on a mission. Bed Bath and Beyond was next. I was so over it. Didn't have it. I grabbed lunch (don't go searching for a cake pan all day on an empty stomach) and thought, oh no. Michael's. I need to check Michael's. Sure enough, after getting lunch, Michael's had every. size. cake. pan. imaginable. I looked at those two 6" cake pans like they were made of gold. So instead of going to four different places, go directly to Michael's. You're welcome.

I N G R E D I E N T S

--9 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened (one stick + 1 tbsp.)

--1 cup granulated sugar

--3 eggs, separated

--2 cups flour

--1 tbsp. baking powder

--1 tsp. salt

--1/2 tsp. baking soda

--1 cup plain greek yogurt

--1 cup fresh raspberries (or frozen, but that will alter baking time a little)

--for the buttercream--

--4 oz. cream cheese, softened

--4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

--zest and juice of 1 meyer lemon

--pinch of salt

--2 cups powdered sugar

--Preheat the oven to 320 degrees. Grease and flour two cake pans and set aside (use the wonderful Pam "baking" spray!)

--Make sure you don't forget to separate your eggs!

--Begin with your softened 9 tbsp. of unsalted butter.

--Cream your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

--Beautiful.

--Add in the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

--Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and mix together until mostly combined.

--Add the yogurt and mix until combined.

--Combined!

--In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until medium peaks are created. I think this is medium peaks.

--Fold the egg whites into the batter until it's all incorporated.

--Like so.

--Fold in the raspberries.

--Divide the batter evenly into two cake pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

--While the cakes are in the oven, start on the buttercream. Zest your lemon and set aside.

--In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until whipped.

--Yes, like that.

--Add in the lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of salt and mix it together.

--Add in the powdered sugar, and mix until your desired consistency is reached. (I think I would have added more powdered sugar, but looks aside, it tasted so dang good like this.)

--And the cakes are done! Allow them to cool before 10 minutes before flipping them on cooling racks.

--Allow them to cool completely before dividing layers and frosting it.

--Okay THIS IS OPTIONAL!! I went a little crazy and tried dividing each cake into three layers. As you can see, some went crazy. I think my lines would have gone a little straighter had I only divided each cake into two pieces.