coconut cream cake party!

Happy birthday to my husband, Mark! I won’t give away his age but I’ll tell you that he robbed the cradle when we got married 23 years ago. :) July birthdays are THE BEST! His is the 1^st & mine is the 16^th. We love celebrating our birthdays together & typically celebrate all month. German chocolate is Mark’s go-to birthday cake but I decided to change it up this year since I just made him a German chocolate cake for Father’s day a few weeks ago.

I got this recipe from our family cookbook that I compiled many years ago. It’s from my sister & it was her father in law’s favorite cake. The Graham family cookbook is one of my most special treasures. It includes recipes from my Grandma, like Granny's Sunday Possum (she’s a jokester, it’s BEEF!), my mom’s FAMOUS holiday dinner rolls and peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and LOTS of other delicious recipes from my siblings, aunts, uncles & cousins! I’m so lucky that my family LOVES to cook!

I think this coconut cream cake is going to become a tradition in our family too! It's super easy & delicious AND VERY RICH and starts with a cake mix. This is my favorite white cake mix & I used it for this recipe.

If you’ve never bought a can of cream of coconut, the stuff is AMAZING! Make sure you buy CREAM OF COCONUT and not coconut milk.  You can buy it at WalMart or the grocery store & it’s sold by the drink mixers, right by the margarita salt & the bloody mary mix. It may be somewhat solid (& alarming) when you open the can, don’t worry, after one bite you won’t care how it looks, go ahead have a taste, it's tropical paradise! You may need to liquify 1 cup of it to pour over the cakes by placing it in a bowl & microwaving it on low for a short time. If it’s solid, keep 1/2 cup solid for the frosting.

Coconut Cream Cake

ingredients

1 15.25 ounce extra moist white cake mix
3 egg whites
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/3 cup whole milk
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided (1 cup in cake mix, 1 cup to garnish frosted cake)
1 can sweetened cream of coconut, divided (The can contains 1 1/2 cups. 1 cup will be used to drizzled on the baked cakes and 1/2 cup will be used in the frosting)
3 cups coconut buttercream frosting, see recipe below OR your favorite buttercream frosting

1. Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans. I used 9 inch but recommend 8 inch pans. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat cake mix, egg whites, oil and milk on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes.

3. Stir in 1 cup flaked coconut.

4.  Pour into prepared pans.

5. Bake for 24-29 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.

6. Place cakes on waxed paper or parchment paper. While cakes are still warm poke holes in the cake. I used a wooden chop stick.

 

6. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of cream of coconut onto the holes of each cake. If your cream of coconut is solid put it in a bowl and microwave it on low for 30 seconds to liquify it. DON'T pour it all in the middle of the cakes, pour it near the edges of the cake also and in all of the holes.You want it to be evenly distributed and not all soaked into the middle of the cakes. Allow the cake to completely cool. 

7. Place one cake layer on your cake plate. Spread 1 cup of frosting onto the cake. Place the 2nd cake onto the frosting and spread 1 cup frosting on the top and another cup of frosting on the sides of the cake. Garnish with additional cup of flaked coconut.

8. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Coconut Buttercream Frosting
adapted from Wilton

1 cup Crisco, solid vegetable shortening
1 cup butter, I use salted butter
1/2 cup cream of coconut, it's best if it's more solid than liquid. If it's liquid refrigerate it for awhile
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 cups confectioners sugar (approximately 2 pounds)
** 2-4 tablespoons milk

Cream butter, shortening & cream of coconut with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup  at a time, beating well after each addition on medium speed. Start mixer on slow speed after each addition to avoid a powdered sugar explosion/mess. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. ** If frosting is dry, add milk, as needed and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

You can also make this recipe without the cream of coconut & plan to use the milk.

This recipe makes more frosting than you will need to frost this cake. Refrigerate the extra frosting in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Re-whip leftover frosting before using.

lemon blueberry muffin pound cake

I truly, madly, deeply LOVE summer and what says summer more than juicy blueberries and lemon? 

This quick bread/cake is really bursting with sweet blueberries. The lemon zest and lemon juice provides a subtle lemon taste but it definitely brings out the fresh flavor of the blueberries. This recipe is scrumptious! If you love blueberries you will love it too!

Lemon Blueberry Muffin Pound Cake

inspired by: PBS.org

ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups blueberries

zest from 1 lemon, or to taste

½ cup vanilla yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For Glaze:

       1 cup powdered sugar

       1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice

directions

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.    Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray AND line the pan with parchment paper AND spray the parchment paper. Set pan aside. Sometimes blueberries stick to the pan so don’t skip the parchment paper, if at all possible. Trust me. The narrow sides of the pan are not lined with parchment paper & it's fine with just the spray in that area.

3.    In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Add the blueberries and carefully toss to combine.

4.    In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the yogurt. Stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until incorporated and being careful not to crush the blueberries.

5.    Scoop batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, until golden brown. If it browns on top too quickly just set a piece of aluminum foil over the top for the last 10 minutes or so. I need the full 1 hour and 10 minutes for it to cook through. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting out by parchment paper or inverting gently onto a plate.

 6.    Stir powdered sugar and lemon juice together and drizzle over cooled bread.

triple chocolate mousse cake party!

Chocolate mousse cake sounds good, right? Well this isn't just chocolate mousse cake or even double chocolate mousse cake...it's TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE! That's right, chocolate in all 3 luscious layers. The bottom layer is a deep dark chocolate fudge cake. The middle layer is thick & rich chocolate mousse & the top layer is sweet, light & creamy white chocolate mousse.

After reading through this recipe a couple of times I was sure it was going to be easier than it sounded. But I have to admit that this was one of the biggest pain in the butt recipes I've ever made. Be prepared to wash your mixer bowl & whisk attachment or beaters for every layer. Thankfully the recipe is totally worth it. We were having company for dinner & I needed an impressive dessert. It definitely qualified!

 For the bittersweet chocolate in layers 1 & 2 I used Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bars.

I found the recipe at Delicious Dishings & the original source is Cooks Illustrated.

ingredients

Bottom Layer

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, plus extra for greasing pan
• 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I omitted)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, separated
• pinch table salt
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

Middle Layer

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 5 tablespoons hot water
• 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt

Top Layer 

• 3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin
• 1 tablespoon water
• 6 ounces white chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
• Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder for serving, optional

directions

1. FOR THE BOTTOM LAYER: Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of 91/2-inch springform pan. Melt butter, chocolate, and espresso powder in large microwave safe bowl in microwave at 70% power, stirring ever minute until smooth. Remove from heat and cool mixture slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in vanilla and egg yolks; set aside.
    
2. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add half of brown sugar and beat until combined, about 15 seconds. Add remaining brown sugar and beat at high speed until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 1 minute longer, scraping down sides halfway through. Using whisk, fold one-third of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain. Carefully transfer batter to prepared springform pan, gently smoothing top with offset spatula.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Bake until cake has risen, is firm around edges, and center has just set but is still soft (center of cake will spring back after pressing gently with finger), 13 to 18 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. (Cake will collapse some as it cools.) Do not remove cake from pan.
   
   
4. FOR THE MIDDLE LAYER: Combine cocoa powder and hot water in small bowl; set aside. Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl in microwave at 70% power, stirring ever minute until smooth. Cool slightly, 2 to 5 minutes.
   
5. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream, granulated sugar, and salt at medium speed until mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, 15 to 60 seconds.
   
6. Whisk cocoa powder mixture into melted chocolate until smooth. Using whisk, fold one-third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Spoon mousse into springform pan over cooled cake and gently tap pan on counter 3 times to remove any large air bubbles; gently smooth top with offset spatula. Wipe inside edge of pan with damp cloth to remove any drips. Refrigerate cake at least 15 minutes while preparing top layer.
   
   
7. FOR THE TOP LAYER: In small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand at least 5 minutes. Place white chocolate in medium bowl. Bring ½ cup cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; add gelatin mixture and stir until fully dissolved. Pour cream mixture over white chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes (mixture will thicken slightly).
   
8. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip remaining cup cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, 15 to 60 seconds. Using whisk, fold one-third of whipped cream into white chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold remaining whipped cream into white chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain. Spoon white chocolate mousse into pan over middle layer. Smooth top with offset spatula. Return cake to refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2½ hours.
   
   
   
9. TO SERVE: Garnish top of cake with chocolate curls or dust with cocoa. Run thin knife between cake and side of springform pan; remove side of pan. Run cleaned knife along outside of cake to smooth sides. Cut into slices and serve.