Recipe of the Week – Sweet Coconut Cake

Have I mentioned lately that I have developed an unhealthy relationship with sugar?  That what used to be an occasional treat has now become a big part of my own personal Food Pyramid?  Did I also mention that I’ve been craving dessert like a fish craves water, or a dog craves popcorn (wait, is it just mine)?   That I have been purposely not buying eggs or flour so that I am unable to bake anything?  Okay, that’ s a lie.  I got carried away.  But, now that I think about it, that’s not such a bad idea.  (Mental note.)

I have made this week’s recipe on a few separate occasions and every single time I have had to pry my increasingly bloated fingers off of it.  I could literally make myself sick ingesting potentially toxic levels of coconut.   If loving that flaky sweet-meat is wrong I do not want to be right.

So, without further ado, I present to you…this week’s recipe!

Sweet Coconut Cake

Cake

• 1 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsps coconut extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Frosting

• 4 Tbs. butter
• 2 cups flaked coconut
• 2 tsps. milk
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beat until smooth.  Add coconut extract and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. 
4. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture, alternating with 1/2 of the buttermilk, to the butter/sugar mixture and mix well after each step.  Mix until all ingredients are combined.  Fold in flaked coconut.  Pour into prepared bundt pan.
5. Bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.  DO NOT OVERBAKE. 
6. To make frosting:  Melt 2 Tbs. butter in a skillet and add coconut, stirring over low heat until browned.  Spoon coconut onto paper towel to drain and cool.  Cream the remaining 2 Tbs. butter with the cream cheese.  Add the milk and confectioner’s sugar, alternately, beating well.  Add the vanilla and stir in 3/4s of the toasted coconut. 
7. Once the cake has cooled, spread frosting.  Press the remaining toasted coconut over the top.
8. Eat.
9. Eat another piece.
10. Run on treadmill.

Granted, this cake has what appears to be a butt-load of steps.  However, it is actually a very easy cake that leaves the impression it was baked by a pro.  Or, at least by someone with a lot of time on their hands.   Oh, and steps 8, 9 and 10 are optional…but highly recommended.

Enjoy, Mindy

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