Coconut Cake

Charlie and I went to a fundraiser in Los Angeles a couple years ago.  The Coconut Cake knocked my socks off.  So much so that I went behind the counter and asked the chef if he ever shared recipes.  He was so kind.  I highly recommend ACM catering if you ever need someone.  He scaled down the recipe thankfully since I don't plan on making cake enough for 300 people.  =) The great thing about this cake is that the coconut is on top.  So for those in your family who don't like coconut, just put the coconut flakes on half of the cake and leave the rest plain.  Still delicious. 

Yield: one cake or 18 regular cupcakes
3 – 9’ cake pans

Ingredients
¾ cup shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted cake flour
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 stiffly beaten egg whites
1 teaspoon lemon extract
½ teaspoon lemon extract
1- 14 ounce bag shredded coconut flakes

VANILLA BUTTER CREAM

1 pound unsalted butter
¾  cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 cup egg whites
1 pound unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good quality vanilla extract

SIMPLE SYRUP

½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Cake- 
In a table top mixer in bowl attached with a whip, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Sift 1/3 of flour into butter and mix thoroughly scraping bottom and sides of bowl. Add 1/3 of milk and continue to stir. Repeat method alternating until all of milk has been added. Pour batter into a medium bowl. Clean and dry bowl and whip of table top mixer. Fit both to stand.

Add egg whites to bowl and whip until soft peaks form.  Gently fold whites into batter. Pour batter evenly into baking pans. Place pans on middle rack of oven and bake until tops are light-golden brown and spring back to touch. Remove pans from oven and cool on rack. Invert cakes on cake board, being cautious not to break edges.

Butter Cream-
Place sugar and water into a small saucepot and put on stovetop over medium heat.

Let sugar mixture cook until a light syrup consistency forms. In electric mixer bowl attached with whip, add whites and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Turn mixer to slow and add syrup in slow stream.

Quickly return mixer to high speed and whip egg-sugar mixture until cool to touch. Add butter in pieces until incorporated. Continue to let butter cream whip until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. 

Simple Syrup-
In small saucepot, mix sugar and water together and stir. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Cool.

Assembly-
Invert cake skin-side up on 9- inch cake circle. Brush top thoroughly with syrup.  Be careful not to over brush. Cake should be moist and not saturated. With a bent-arm spatula, spread approximately 1 cup of butter cream over first layer of cake. Top with second layer of cake and cream. Repeat method with third layers.

Evenly spread cream around sides of cake using metal spatula. Place coconut into a medium bowl and break up any small lumps with fingers.  With cake on a pedestal, press coconut into cake covering sides and top completely. Brush off extra coconut and reserve for later use. Serve.

On The Menu...

MONDAY
A's Burgers - eating out because its FHE at the beach.

TUESDAY
Leftover Pasta

WEDNESDAY
Mother Daughter Tea Party ... (wish me luck on making all this!)
Dreamy Cream Orange Cranberry Scones
Belgian Endive Stuffed with Cranberries, Walnuts, and Apples
Gruyere Prosciutto Omlette
Banana Punch
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
White Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies (for take home)

THURSDAY
Kalua Pork with Cole Slaw

FRIDAY
Pizza Movie

SATURDAY

SUNDAY
Japanese Cucumber Salad
http://appetiteforchina.com/recipes/japanese-cucumber-salad/

Asian Quinoa Broccoli Slaw
http://www.mountainmamacooks.com/2013/03/asian-quinoa-broccoli-slaw-recipe/

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

I combined a few recipes and added a few things of my own, and this is what I came up with. It was spectacular!  The saffron was perfect.

2-3 Tbs olive oil
3 cups of diced onions
4 cups of chicken stock
4 cups of fresh tomatoes
large pinch of saffron
salt and pepper to taste
chili powder (as much as your taste buds can handle)
couple shakes of paprika
1/2 cup wild rice or orzo
1 cup heavy cream

Saute the onions in the olive oil for 15 minutes or so.  Chop the tomatoes up in a blender along with the sauteed onions.  I like a little bit of chunk in mine.  Pour back into your pot and add the spices.

Cook the 1/2 cup rice in 1 cup of the chicken broth for about 10 minutes.  Then pour into the soup and wait another 20 minutes or so as it heats up.  Add the cream last and enjoy.

You can serve with either Gruyere shredded on top or make your own grilled cheese.  Here is my favorite way to make it.

Grilled Cheese

Butter both sides of the outside of the sandwich and grate fresh parmesan onto both sides.  It crisps up the sandwich beautifully.  Then shred some gruyere on the inside and grill it up.  Perfection.

On The Menu

MONDAY
Quinoa Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
http://www.azestybite.com/tex-mex-quinoa-salad-with-cumin-lime-vinaigrette/

TUESDAY
Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

WEDNESDAY
http://www.tartineandapronstrings.com/2013/01/09/prosciutto-tomato-and-olive-spaghetti/

THURSDAY
Beach BBQ with my Cousins in townd

FRIDAY
Pizza Movie Night

SATURDAY
LA tourist day and eating from food trucks

SUNDAY

Dutch Oven Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

Thank you Zachary for having a birthday while we were camping.  He requested something chocolatey.  So I had to go hunting for something new.  And in the process I learned that BYU has a dutch oven cooking class!!! Who knew???  But of course I should expect that from BYU.

Anyway, I found these Peanut Butter Brownies that were perfection.  Well, they would have been if our coals still had some heat in them. However, they didn't cook properly so it was more like Peanut Butter Brownie Batter drizzled on vanilla ice cream.  But it was still the favorite!  I will gladly make these again soon!

Okay I had some minor modifications.  Like NO marshmallows. Can't stand them on desserts.  Such a waste.

12" dutch oven

1 package brownie mix 
6 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tbs. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups mini marshmallows
12 regular size Reese's Peanut Butter cups, cut into cubes
1/2-3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, melted

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions and spread in the bottom of a well greased dutch oven.

 

In a separate bowl mix together the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.  Drop by tablespoonfuls evenly over the brownie batter.  Use a knife or toothpick to swirl the cheese mixture through the brownie batter.  

 

Bake for 30-32 minutes or until cooked through.

 

When the brownies are finished, remove the pot from the heat pour on Reese's PB cups and chocolate chips over the brownies.  Replace lid and allow them to melt, about 3 -5 minutes.  Remove lid and allow brownies to cool.  Drizzle with melted peanut butter and allow to cool completely before cutting.

oooor in our case ... just drizzle the brownie batter goodness onto ice cream and enjoy!

On The Menu ...

MONDAY
Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
http://foodfamilystyle.blogspot.com/2009/10/whole-wheat-flour-pumpkin-pancakes.html

TUESDAY
Seasoned Tilapia, asparagus and Tomato Caprese

WEDNESDAY
It's Cub Scout Pack Mtg night, so that means we are eating at whatever fast food sounds appealing when we finish making our marshmallow shooters

THURSDAY
Quinoa & Lentil Bruschetta

FRIDAY
Homemade Pizza & Movie Night

SATURDAY / SUNDAY
Beach BBQ perhaps
Something Seafood ... not sure yet. 

Kale & Quinoa Scramble

 Photo Courtesy of Yummy Supper.

Okay the original recipe from this great blog actually calles these "Patties."  However, I was unable to flip them properly and turned them into Scramble!  I made sure I had plenty of crispy on top though because that gives it a great texture.

• 1-2 cups quinoa cooked
• 4 eggs, whisked
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 4 spring onions, sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup steamed kale, chopped
• 1 cup breadcrums
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
•  
• optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, lemon juice, salsa verde, garlic oil

We added fresh lemon juice, cilantro and Arbequina Olive Oil.