It has really been hard for me to get back into the "swing" of things since we got back from Tennessee the first of November. At first we were involved in remodeling the hall bathroom. That kept me from decorating for Christmas (too much dust everywhere). We celebrated Christmas with our younger son and his family and friends at their house before Christmas (instead of at our house) and then went to CO to have Christmas with our older son and his family the day after Christmas. I just couldn't get excited decorating for a week. Besides we had plenty of Christmas while in Tennessee with Dollywood and then the Biltmore Mansion in North Carolina so it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be not decorating.
While in CO, my cousin who is like a sister to me, notified me that her daddy had died. While it was a blessing since he had suffered with Alzheimer for about four years, it is still a difficult time for everyone. So when we left CO, instead of coming back to KC, we headed southeast to southeast Arkansas and northeast Louisiana for his services.
Since we have been back in MO, I have been bothered by something. I don't really know what to call it. It is like allergies but I don't usually have problems with allergies in the winter. I have tried two different allergy medications. They both sorta worked for the first two days, but then the next two days it was like I wasn't taking anything. My only cough is from the post nasal drip.
The days since we got back that were warmer, unfortunately I didn't feel like doing much and now it is so cold and snowy. I am tired of staying inside. At least Saturday I had a good reason to go out and it felt so good.
When we were choosing dates to hostess for this year's Tasty Bunch, I chose January for one of our dates because I felt we would be here for sure then. My husband has decided he wants to escape this cold for part of winter (we are nowhere near "snowbirds" as some of our friends are) and I figured that would be in February. Saturday was our gathering.
I spent much of the day doing last minute house cleaning, BUT also making the dessert I would serve. I couldn't get inspired as to what to make so my husband decided to convince me to make a coconut cake. I had to spend a little time trying to find a recipe I had discovered weeks ago and then a little more time looking for another one when I found it and wasn't totally happy with it. As it turned out I sorta took two different recipes and came up with this coconut cake. I had to call it Mile High Coconut Cake because it was so tall. I couldn't even fit my glass cake cover over it after I was done.
I managed to get "rid" of half of it with the six of us in attendance. Unfortunately the boys next door do not like coconut.(My depression isn't being helped by the news that the boys next door are moving out by the end of the month. The people who own the house are getting a divorce and are either wanting to sell the house or maybe one of them will be moving in. Either way we are not happy about this at all!) Hopefully I can get inspired to take a piece over to Friend Fran. (She has been dealing with bronchitis for over a week.) Don't get me wrong. It is super delicious. I just don't need to eat all that sugar. It has a little more than I am used to using in desserts. I did cut down on the sugar by reducing the amount in the cake and used unsweetened coconut in the cake, but didn't in the frosting and then used sweetened coconut on top.
MILE HIGH COCONUT CAKE
1 cup butter, softened
1-3/4 cup sugar
5 eggs
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup grated coconut (I used unsweetened coconut)
1/2 teaspoon butter extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8 - inch round cake pans.
Cream butter;
gradually add sugar,
beat well at medium speed of an electric mixer. (Make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl often.)
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt using a whisk. Add to creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk,
beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
Mix after each addition.
Stir in coconut and flavorings.
Pour batter evenly between the three pans making sure the batter is level in the pans.
Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
Let cool in pans for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
Remove from pans and finish cooling on wire rack.
Frost cake with frosting and sprinkle coconut on top and sides. (I did not put coconut between layers since there was coconut in the cake.)
FROSTING
4 egg whites (save the yolks for something else)
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cold water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring
Combine the egg whites, sugar, cold water, cream of tartar (and coconut flavoring) in the top of a double boiler.
Heat a little water in the bottom pot to just simmering.
Place the top boiler on top and beat with an electric mixer on low speed 3 to 4 minutes, or until fluffy. (I stopped after 3 minutes.)
Increase speed to medium high speed and beat for 6 or 7 minutes, or until very thick meringue forms. (I stopped after 6 minutes.)
Remove from heat and add flavoring (if you already haven't done so as I did) and beat for about 3 more minutes, or until peaks hold their shape.
Layer and
cover the cake with the frosting.
Sprinkle the coconut on top of the cake and then lightly press the coconut against the sides.
Allow the cake to set after it is frosted for at least 2 hours before serving.
While in CO, my cousin who is like a sister to me, notified me that her daddy had died. While it was a blessing since he had suffered with Alzheimer for about four years, it is still a difficult time for everyone. So when we left CO, instead of coming back to KC, we headed southeast to southeast Arkansas and northeast Louisiana for his services.
Since we have been back in MO, I have been bothered by something. I don't really know what to call it. It is like allergies but I don't usually have problems with allergies in the winter. I have tried two different allergy medications. They both sorta worked for the first two days, but then the next two days it was like I wasn't taking anything. My only cough is from the post nasal drip.
The days since we got back that were warmer, unfortunately I didn't feel like doing much and now it is so cold and snowy. I am tired of staying inside. At least Saturday I had a good reason to go out and it felt so good.
When we were choosing dates to hostess for this year's Tasty Bunch, I chose January for one of our dates because I felt we would be here for sure then. My husband has decided he wants to escape this cold for part of winter (we are nowhere near "snowbirds" as some of our friends are) and I figured that would be in February. Saturday was our gathering.
I spent much of the day doing last minute house cleaning, BUT also making the dessert I would serve. I couldn't get inspired as to what to make so my husband decided to convince me to make a coconut cake. I had to spend a little time trying to find a recipe I had discovered weeks ago and then a little more time looking for another one when I found it and wasn't totally happy with it. As it turned out I sorta took two different recipes and came up with this coconut cake. I had to call it Mile High Coconut Cake because it was so tall. I couldn't even fit my glass cake cover over it after I was done.
I managed to get "rid" of half of it with the six of us in attendance. Unfortunately the boys next door do not like coconut.(My depression isn't being helped by the news that the boys next door are moving out by the end of the month. The people who own the house are getting a divorce and are either wanting to sell the house or maybe one of them will be moving in. Either way we are not happy about this at all!) Hopefully I can get inspired to take a piece over to Friend Fran. (She has been dealing with bronchitis for over a week.) Don't get me wrong. It is super delicious. I just don't need to eat all that sugar. It has a little more than I am used to using in desserts. I did cut down on the sugar by reducing the amount in the cake and used unsweetened coconut in the cake, but didn't in the frosting and then used sweetened coconut on top.
MILE HIGH COCONUT CAKE
1 cup butter, softened
1-3/4 cup sugar
5 eggs
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup grated coconut (I used unsweetened coconut)
1/2 teaspoon butter extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring
Let cool in pans for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
Frost cake with frosting and sprinkle coconut on top and sides. (I did not put coconut between layers since there was coconut in the cake.)
FROSTING
4 egg whites (save the yolks for something else)
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cold water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring
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