An Easy Coconut Cake

Photo: Food Network

The flavor of coconut in ice cream and cake is pure and simple like vanilla, only kicked up a notch. A coconut cake is a combination of rich tropical flavor, moisture and texture. Here's how to make it from scratch:

Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup of sugar (If you like sweeter cake use 1 1/2 cups of sugar. With icing, I don't need such a sweet batter.)
1 cup buttermilk (You may substitute sour cream or yogurt.)
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpuse flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs (I use whole eggs and don't mind the ivory color of the cake. Usually coconut cakes require 5 egg whites [use only whites if you wish, save the yolks for custard or omelets] but most of the nutrients are in the yolks, so in my cake, the entire egg goes into making the batter!)
2 teaspoons coconut extract (You can substitute vanilla, or almond extract if you don't have coconut -- it will taste good -- but why then are you making a coconut cake?🙂)
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

Directions:

1) Beat together the butter and sugar using an electric mixer.

2) Add the buttermilk.

3) Follow with the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and punch of salt.

4) Next beat in one egg at a time.

5) Add the coconut extract and flaked coconut.

6) Pour the batter into two 9" buttered cake pans.

7) Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until the center is done. Remove from the oven to cool.

8) Wait 5 minutes and remove the cakes while the pans are still warm, so the cakes don't stick. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Coconut Frosting

Ingredients:

8-ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened (adds taste and creaminess)
3 tablespoons milk 
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 box of confectioners' sugar
1 bag of coconut flakes (Like the confectioners' sugar, you will use only as much as needed.)

Directions:

1) Toss the ingredients (except the coconut flakes) one by one into a mixing bowl. 

2) I don't measure the confectioners' sugar. I pour the liquids and flavors in first then add as much powdered sugar as I need. You want a creamy, yet thick enough frosting to spread on the cake and in-between the layers.

3) After you frost the outside of the cake, refrigerate it, then frost it a 2nd time like professional bakers do, if you wish.

4) Sprinkle as much flaked coconut on top of the frosting as you like -- to look like garnish or snow.

To make coconut ice cream from scratch, my dear readers, you're on your own!🙂 


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Carla Hall's Caramel Cake

It's summer ... let us eat cake, Sugar Babies! With barbecues and birthdays, there's enough people gathered to help eat one. The best Southern Caramel Cake recipe was featured on The Chew, an afternoon cooking show. It has far too many steps. I like simple, not complicated. But ... this is a high protein cake, and the extra steps ... the pre-soften this and pre-whipped that, make the cake light and fluffy, so unfortunately, we can't take any shortcuts. Think about the delicious results while taking out three 9 inch cake pans and two large mixing bowls.

Start by preheating the oven to 350ºF. Grease the three 9 inch cake pans, then line each pan with parchment paper and grease and flour the parchment. Set aside.

Caramel Cake

Ingredients:

photo: mnn.com

4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup buttermilk
4 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick soften unsalted butter
2/3 cup canola oil
1 cup heavy cream (whipped to soft peaks)

Directions: 

1) In mixing bowl #1: Add the eggs, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of buttermilk and whisk to combine.

2) In mixing bow #2: Add the shifted flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the butter, canola oil, and remaining buttermilk and mix to combine. 

3) Add the egg mixture in three parts, stirring to combine. From here, you want to be careful not to over mix. If you over mix the batter, the protein will make the cake tough and gummy. Mix only enough to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Fold the whipped cream into the batter.

4) Pour the batter into the 3 prepared cake pans. Tap the pans on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top springs back and the sides pull away from the pan.

5) Remove the cakes from the oven, rest for 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Next let cool completely before frosting.

Caramel Icing

photo: yammiesnoshery.com

Ingredients:

3 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1) In a medium saucepan, add the brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Stir in butter and salt. 

2) Remove from the heat, allow to cool completely. Transfer caramel mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar. With the whisk attachment, whisk until combined and smooth. Pour over each layer of the cake. Let the frosting drip over the sides to cover. Allow to harden.

Mmm, worth every calorie and special enough to serve as a birthday cake. Thank you Ms. Cara Hall! Type the word "cake" in the blog's search box (upper left side) to pull up other homemade cake recipes. Cakes made from scratch are the best!

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A Single Serving Of Homemade Cake

Photo: Lake of Lakes

Although I eat healthy mostly, sometimes I crave a slice of cake. At home, I have adopted the practice of eating whatever I want as long as I'm willing to make it myself. Often an entire cake is too much, enough for a week when all I desire is a slice.

So here is a recipe for a single serving of homemade cake. You can either oven bake the batter in a cup cake wrapper; or just use a sturdy mug and pop it into your microwave:

Vanilla Mug Cake

Ingredients: 

4 tablespoons of all-purpose (or whole wheat)

Photo: cooksvanilla.com

flour (All-purpose flour is lighter, while whole wheat flour is whole grain healthy. You decide.)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt

1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon egg (Throw the rest of the egg into another dish. Waste not, want not! The cake will come out without the egg, but will be less rich.)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons buttermilk

Other flavors:  

You can turn this cake into another flavor by adding the following ingredients to the recipe:

(1) Chocolate cake: 1 tablespoon of dark cocoa and 1/2 teaspoon of instant coffee; 
(2) Lemon cake: 1 teaspoon lemon extract and lemon zest; 
(3) S'mores cake: 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, one tablespoon of brown sugar, plus definitely use whole wheat flour (for a graham cracker taste).
(4) Carrot Cake: 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of shredded carrot, and toss in a few broken nuts and raisins.

Directions:

Photo: BBC Good Food

1) In a microwave safe mug. I use an oversized mug. Use a fork to stir together all the ingredients, one by one. I like to add the buttermilk last to get the perfect amount of liquid. Add extra tablespoons of buttermilk if needy for a runny, but thick consistency. Mix until incorporated, but don't over mix -- as it toughens the cake batter.

2) Everyone's microwave is different. So the first time microwave for 60 seconds at a time. Repeat until the batter turns into a cake -- feeling firm to the touch on the edges and center.

(Or pour into a cupcake wrapper placed in a cupcake pan and bake at 350 degree in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until a tester produces a crumb.)

Vanilla Frosting

Ingredients:

Confectionery Sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Drops of milk

Photo: howsweetitis

Optional: A teaspoon of butter (for buttercream. I omit the butter.) 

Other flavors: 

Add --
(1) cocoa for chocolate; 
(2) lemon extract for lemon;
(3) If making a s'mores cake, melt dark chocolate and drops of milk together to make a gonache topping and follow with a toasted marshmallow.
(4) For a carrot mug cake, top with vanilla frosting and/or add 2 tablespoons of cream cheese to the basic vanilla frosting. 

Directions:

Combine the ingredients and mix until creamy. Spread on your single serving cake. Enjoy!

If you keep it simple, making a mug cake from start to finish takes about 10 minutes! Easy to double or triple for 1 or 2 guests and after the meal, you won't have leftovers to eat!

Extra tip: On a lazy day, you can eliminate the extra step of making frosting by topping your mug cake with ice cream.


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Swedish Cardamon Cake With Caramelized Topping

Photo of carmelized almond topping courtesy of David Lebovitz

A Swedish cardamon cake is a simple coffee cake, which we're going to bump up a notch by making a caramelized topping, one we can do the easy way by carmelizing it inside the same springform pan as the cake, itself, is baking. Did you expect anything other than a shortcut from THE SAVVY SHOPPER, queen of one-pot or pan dishes? I bet you dislike scrubbing a sink load of pots and pans as much as I do! Nonetheless, the results of this simple dessert will be so scrumptious and fancy that you can use it as a birthday or holiday cake, or bring it as a contribution to summer cookouts! So let's get started, shall we?

Cardamon cake

Ingredients:

For the caramelized topping -- Use a 9-inch springform pan, so you can simply remove the sides of the pan, leaving the cake intact. 

1/4 cup butter - Smear a generous amount of butter on the bottom of the springform pan to start. Thick, not thin.

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup sliced almonds (or almonds brokered into pieces)

For the cake batter:

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 cup sugar (Cut the sugar by 1/4 cup to reduce the sweetness if you wish.)

3 large eggs  

3 cups of all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 pinch of salt

1 - 1 1/2 cup buttermilk (Eyeball the consistency. Start with less and stop if you can easily stir it.)

1 tablespoon of dried cardamom (or you may use cardamon seeds)

1 tablespoon of lemon juice 

Directions for the topping:

1) Generously butter the bottom of a springform pan and distribute the sugar covering the buttered bottom. Next toss in the almonds.  During the baking of the cake, its topping will caramelize. When the cake is baked, you'll flip the bottom over to become the top of the cake.

Directions for the batter:

2) To make the batter, beat the softened stick of butter and sugar together. Next mix in the eggs one at a time.

3) Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Go here for 6 best Swedish bakeries.

4) Pour in the buttermilk, then the cardamon, and lemon juice.

5) Pour over the topping that is already in the springform pan. 

5) Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 50 - 60 minutes.

6) Remove from the oven and let cool. Warm is ok for removing the sides. and transferring it to the serving dish. The bottom of the cake becomes the top.

An easy-to-make cake that looks and tastes like a fancy cake! It's how we roll here on THE SAVVY SHOPPER. Smaklig Måltid!🎂🍦

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A Pretty Rainbow Almond Cake

Photo: alwaysorderdessert - I'm using this image so you can see the raspberry preserves dripping between the layers of cake. Skip to the bottom for an easy-breezy way to make ganache.

When I see this cake the lyrics of "My Fair Lady" come to mind:"I feel pretty, Oh so pretty! ... I feel pretty ... and witty and bright!" Indeed. Moreover, as my long time readers know, I like the addition of nuts in a pastry to add extra oomph! Nuts are a tasty balance to the sweetness of sugar, adding a bit of protein too. 

Almond paste gives a rainbow cake a sweet nutty flavor. Although you can buy almond paste in a tin, homemade is cheaper, so let's begin with a how to recipe. Almond paste and Marzipan are similar. Here's the difference: Marzipan is equal parts almonds and confectionery sugar with a touch of corn syrup, It is often rolled out and used as fondant for cakes or shaped into candy. On the other hand, almond paste is 2 parts almonds to 1 part sugar. Almond paste can be stored in a tightly sealed (cover the top with a plastic wrap and a layer of foil) steel can in the refrigerator for about one month. Freeze it for up to 3 months.

Almond Paste

Ingredients:

Photo: Mandelin

1 1/2 cups almonds
Up to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (For a dry consistency; eyeball it.)
1 egg white
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Directions:

Toss the almonds in a food processor, pulse, follow with the rest of the ingredients. Pulse until smooth.

Now let's make our oh so pretty cake!

Rainbow Almond Cake

2 sticks butter at room temperature (1 cup)
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
12 ounces almond paste (1 1/2 cups)
3 different - 1/2 teaspoon each of food coloring (red, green, yellow are traditional -- but you can use 3 different colors of your choice).
About 1/2 cup of raspberry preserves to spread in between the cake layers

3 cake pans -- line each with parchment paper if you wish. I usually simply oil and flour the pans. 

Directions:

1) In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.

Photo: Amazon

2) Next add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between.

3) Add the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda.

4) Follow by the wet: buttermilk, lemon juice and almond extract.

5) Finally, add the almond paste. Mix until uniform and smooth.

6) After the batter is made, divide and pour it into 3 separate bowls. Add the 3 different food colorings, one to each bowl of batter.

7) Poor the batter with 3 different colors into 3 separate oiled and floured cake pans (or lined with parchment paper).

8) Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes, or until the centers are done.

9) Now the fun part: Stack the 3 colored layers of cake. Spread the raspberry jam in between each layer.

Chocolate Ganache Topping

Traditionally, a rainbow almond cake is toped with chocolate ganache. I never buy heavy cream and like to keep baking simple, therefore I use what I usually have in my cupboard, canned condensed milk (But if you have neither at home, feel free to buy heavy cream):

Ingredients:

Photo: myrecipes

15 ounce can condensed milk
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Heat your milk (or heavy cream if you buy it) in a saucepan on the stove top. Bring to a boil.

2) Turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips. Melt and stir. This should be all you need to do, but if not thick enough, you can turn the heat back on and whisk for a few minutes.

3) Pour over the cake and spread down the sides.

Makes a lovely birthday or anytime cake. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or milk!🎉🎈🎁


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A Classic 3 Layer Carrot Cake

Photo: theheritagecook - 8'' carrot cake

My usual carrot cake is this recipe. But today I'm turning carrot cake into a birthday cake by making a rich, but not altogether unhealthy recipe from Southern Living. A birthday cake must have layers, right? Yes, it must!

Carrot Cake - turned up a notch:

Ingredients: 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (Sometimes I use part whole wheat flour.)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (= 1 stick)

1/2 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup flaked coconut
1 1/2 cup toasted pecans
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup peeled and grated apple

Directions:

Take out two mixing bowls - one for dry and one for wet ingredients --
1) Wisk together the first seven (dry) ingredients, uniformly.
2) Stir together the next five (wet) ingredients, one at a time, beating with an electric mixer if you wish.
3) Combine the wet and dry agredients together. Incorporate, but don't over beat.
4) Fold in the grated carrots, grated apple, flaked coconut and toasted pecans.
5) Pour the batter into, choose one: (a) 3-greased 8 inch; or (b) 2-greased 9 inch cake pans.
6) Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester (I use a metal potato nail; you can use a fork) comes out clean.
7) Remove the cakes from the oven, and let cool 10-15 minutes. Next remove from the pans and cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

Ingredients:

8oz cream cheese
1/3 cup milk
1 box powder sugar
2 teaspoons real vanilla (I use more.)

Directions:

1) Mix all the ingredients together. Start with the cream cheese and milk. Add as much of the powder sugar as needed to get the right rich, yet creamy consistency. 
2) If you use 9 inch cake pans, you can carefully slice the center of each baked cake after cooled to get 4 layers, if you wish. (So depending on how ambitious you are, you will need to frost 2, 3 or 4 layers of cake.) As usual, frost the top, layers and sides of the cake. Extra tip: Professional bakers frost a cake 2-3 times to make it look beautiful. Refigerate the cake to let the icing set before repeating.
3) Finish by sprinkling the top with additional toasted pecans.

Judging by the crumbs and a lick of the frosting, this is a delicious cake. Can't wait for everyone to taste it! 

Lots of candles to add. Yikes, we are getting soo old!

9 '' carrot cake

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When Half Of A S'mores Cake Is Enough

Photo: Martha Stewart Weddings

If I'm not expecting company to help me polish off a whole cake, I do something wacky, I make half of a cake. How you might ask?

I cut the ingredients of a cake recipe in half, use a single cake pan, then after baking it, I slice the one round cake layer in half, stacking the two sections and voilà, I have 1/2 of a round, 2-layer cake. Recently I wanted to make a S'mores Cake ... but jeez I didn't relish eating the cake all week long. So here's my 1/2 cake recipe: 

S'more Cake - 1/2 (or one round layer)

(Of course whenever you have enough people to eat a whole cake, simply double the ingredients for 2 round layers. The recipe came to me via Facebook by Bigger Bolder Baking ... however I tweaked it.)

Ingredients for the Cake

1/4 cup (1/2 stick butter)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

A little less than 1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 extra large eggs (What I had. Large is fine too.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Use a large mixing bowl, melt the butter in the microwave for 15-20 seconds (if like me) you don't remember to take it out of the refrigerator beforehand so that it is at room temperature. Cream together the butter and sugars.

2) Next add the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together.

3) At this point, grab an electric mixer: Add the buttermilk followed by the eggs, beat one egg at a time. Mix for one or two minutes until you see the dry and wet ingredients are incorporated. Don't over mix this cake batter, or your cake will be tough. 

4) Pour into a well greased baking pan. To keep life simple, I buy one huge bottle of extra virgin olive oil to use for all my cooking and baking oil needs, including greasing a pan. I'm not that specialized. My cakes come out clean and tasty! (Butter, or canola oil will do also.)

5) Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes, or until the center is done. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan(s).

6) Remember you will evenly slice it in half to stack as 1/2 of a cake but will have 2 layers.

Photo: FoodNetwork

Chocolate Ganache Filling

Ingredients

6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup of buttermilk (milk, or cream)

Directions:

1) In a microwave safe bowl melt the chocolate chips (takes about 30 seconds) and remove.

2) Whisk in the buttermilk (add a little at a time) until smooth and the right consistency. 

3) Spread in the center.

I used chocolate ganache as the frosting for my entire cake half. It was rich, delicious and satisfying. But I should have continued with a meringue frosting. For guests, I will do the 3rd and final step:

Egg White Meringue Frosting for 1/2 cake

Ingredients:

1 extra large egg white (or large and save the egg yolk for a pudding, or bread coated dish. Waste not!)

1/4 cup of white sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1) With an electric mixer, beat the ingredients until the egg white(s) peak. It should be stiff and creamy.

2) Spread the frosting on the top and sides of the cake.

3) Take a blow touch (or use your broiler) to toast the frosting of the cake (like marshmallows). 

4) Use any remaining chocolate ganache on the very top of your cake. Let it drizzle down.

Wow, the cinnamon in the batter and ganache filling make this cake. With only half of a cake made, I had 4 huge servings, enough to share with a neighbor, plus extra for another day.

Extra Tip: Stay focused when making half a cake, or you will mess up the ingredients. You can prevent miscalculating by measuring out your ingredients before mixing them. Here I have cut the ingredients in half for you, so you can simply follow the above recipe. But on your own, be sure to stay in the moment. Wow, what a delicious cake this one is ... the whole wheat flour, the cinnamon, the ganache!

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