Coconut Adds a Luscious Taste to Festive Cakes for the Holiday Season
There are enough cake recipes in this collection to enjoy before, during and after the holidays. Each of the cakes includes coconut, but there the similarity ends.
Prize Coconut Cake incorporates the coconut into the batter, as well as using it for the crowning touch. Lemon Butter Cream Frosting, a basic frosting with grated lemon peel and juice, adds a just-right tartness to complement the cake.
Chopped sweet cooking chocolate, coconut and raisins add moistness and texture to Chocolate-Coconut Pound Cake. A Sweet Chocolate Glaze further emphasizes the rich, chocolate goodness of the cake.
After baking and cooling Pina Colada Cake, a warm glaze of crushed pineapple and rum is spooned over before the coconut-and-orange section garnish is added. Coconut Chiffon Cake, baked in a springform or layer pan, may be served plain or with a coconut garnish.
PRIZE COCONUT CAKE
1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Flake coconut
Lemon Butter Cream Frosting
Lemon slices, optional
Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Cream butter. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at time, beating well after each addition.
Add flour alternately with milk, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in vanilla and 2/3 cup coconut. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8-inch layer pans. Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean.
Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Spread Lemon Butter Cream Frosting between layers and over top and sides. Sprinkle with additional coconut and garnish with lemon slices. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Note: 1 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour may be substituted for cake flour.
Lemon Butter Cream Frosting
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (1-pound) box powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons milk, about
Cream butter. Add salt and about half of powdered sugar, blending well. Add egg yolks, lemon peel and lemon juice. Add remaining sugar alternately with milk until mixture is spreading consistency, beating after each addition until smooth. Makes 2 1/2 cups.
Note: 1 whole egg may be substituted for 2 egg yolks.
CHOCOLATE-COCONUT POUND CAKE
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 cup milk
1 cup butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 (4-ounce) package sweet cooking chocolate, chopped
Flake coconut
1/4 cup raisins
Sweet Chocolate Glaze
Combine flour with baking powder and salt. Set aside. Add vinegar to milk and set aside. Cream butter. Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating until very light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
Add eggs, 1 at time, beating after each addition until thoroughly blended. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating after each addition until smooth. Stir in chocolate, 2/3 cup coconut and raisins.
Pour batter into well-greased 9-inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then remove and cool on wire rack. Top with glaze and sprinkle with additional coconut. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Note: Batter may be poured into 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans and baked 65 minutes.
Sweet Chocolate Glaze 1 (4-ounce) package sweet cooking chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
3 tablespoons water
1 cup powdered sugar
Dash salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Heat chocolate, butter and water in saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Combine powdered sugar and salt in bowl. Gradually stir in chocolate mixture, blending well. Add vanilla. Makes 1 cup.
Note: For thinner glaze, add small amount of hot water. For thicker glaze, cool until desired consistency.
PINA COLADA CAKE
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
6 eggs, separated
3/4 cup cold water
Flake coconut
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup light rum
Orange sections, optional
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in bowl. Make well in center and add oil, egg yolks, water, 1 cup coconut and orange peel. Beat until smooth.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Gradually pour egg yolk mixture over egg whites, folding gently just until blended. (Do not beat or stir.) Pour batter into ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
Bake at 325 degrees 1 hour 15 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed. Invert pan on funnel to cool completely.
Combine pineapple, sugar and butter in saucepan. Cook, stirring, until mixture comes to boil. Boil 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in rum.
Remove cake from pan, place on serving plate and pierce all over with cake tester or wood pick. Carefully spoon warm syrup over cake. Garnish with additional coconut and orange sections. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Note: 1/3 cup pineapple juice and 1 tablespoon rum extract may be substituted for 1/3 cup light rum.
COCONUT CHIFFON CAKE
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons oil
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup cold water
Flake coconut
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in bowl. Make well in center and add oil, egg yolks, water, 1/3 cup coconut and lemon peel. Beat until smooth.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Gradually pour egg yolk mixture over egg whites and fold gently just until blended. (Do not beat or stir.)
Pour batter into ungreased 8-inch springform or layer pan. Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed.
Invert, resting edges on pans or custard cups, and cool. Remove from pan. Garnish with additional coconut.