Sunday, March 16, 2008

Coconut Cake

Even my daughter, who turns up her nose at anything with nary a shred of coconut in it, loves this cake. I simply leave off the coconut for her or anyone else who doesn't care for its distinctive taste and texture. This will, undoubtedly, become you're new, go-to white cake recipe. Adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor, I've omitted the toasted, unsweetened, grated coconut and replaced it with the much sweeter Baker's Angel Flake. Serve this delicious cake with a generous scoop of French vanilla ice cream.

Coconut Cake
1 package plain white cake mix
1 cup + 1 tablespoons sour cream (Daisy is excellent)
1 cup cream of coconut
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
Cream Cheese Frosting
Baker's Angel Flake for sprinkling (if desired)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 by 9 baking pan with vegetable spray (preferably one with flour).

Combine the cake mix, sour cream, cream of coconut, vegetable oil and eggs with a mixer on low. Beat for 1 minute before stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat on medium another 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or less to taste)
pinch of salt
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk

Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until well-blended and free of lumps. Turn off the machine and add the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Beat on low until all ingredients are incorporated, then increase the speed of the mixer and beat for another 2 minutes, or until frosting is light and fluffy, adding additional milk if needed. Spread over cake and serve.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Frozen Raspberry Lemonade Pie

I hope you've had a chance to watch "Down Home with the Neelys" on Food Network. They made a Frozen Lemonade Pie recently that you've just got to try. I simplified their recipe even more by freezing the graham cracker crust, and added my own touch by using raspberry lemonade and fresh whipped cream. Although reminiscent of a semifreddo, a certain someone let me know it tasted "very Southern." That's music to the ears of us folks all the way in the Northwest.

Raspberry Lemonade Pie

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
6 oz. Minute Maid Raspberry Lemonade concentrate, frozen
1 cup old-fashioned whipping cream
1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
graham cracker crust

For filling, whip cream with 1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until peaks form. Carefully fold in chilled sweetened condensed milk and frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust and freeze until set (approximately 8 hours).

Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Combine ingredients and press mixture on the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish or on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch, deep dish pie pan. Freeze until set, about 20 to 30 minutes.