In case you haven’t noticed, I kind of like coconut.

Coconut has definitely NOT always been my flavor of choice. Samoas were a total No-no to me when I was a Girl Scout. It would disgust me that my parents would waste their precious money that could have been spent on MORE Tagalongs on…Samoas.

It always blew my mind that my parents would order coconut ice cream. Uhhh…hello? Cookie dough was my thanng, how could coconut even be considered a possibility?

And then, one day I tried a coconut cream pie. I’m not sure what convinced me that a pie with coconut in it was a good idea…but man, that coconut cream pie was delicious. Me and coconut have become pretty good buds since then. 

So here we go, a coconut layer cake that we served on Easter. A perfect fluffy little cake that’s great for any occasion. Why not celebrate the wonderful day of Friday with this yummy cake? Good idea, get on it baby!!

Coconut Cake

(makes 1 6-inch form spring layer cake)

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 1/t teasoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (6-inch) round form spring cake pans.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar with mixer until light yellow and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract.
4. With mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until top springs back when touched and toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center. Cool on baking rack for 15-20 minutes, then turn cakes out onto baking rack to finish cooling for an additional 25 minutes.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2/3 cup shredded coconut

milk, as needed

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Add the powdered sugar and mix until desired consistency is achieved. Add milk as needed to thin frosting out if it gets too thick, or add more powdered sugar if frosting gets too thin. When desired consistency is achieved, fold in the shredded coconut.
2. TO ASSEMBLE: Cut tops off of cooled cakes to make them flat and even. Place one layer flat on serving plate and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top and frost the sides and top. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top and sides with coconut. I used about 1/2 cup of toasted and non toasted coconut. Store in fridge but serve at room temperature.

Random Fact of the Day: A Toyota car is built in 13 hours and a Rolls Royce is built in 6 months.

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