Southern Coconut Cake Layer Cake

Oh hey there! I know it's been a while since I posted, but what better time to re-start blogging than the present? The past 2 years have been super busy and exciting. I live in the big city now, and, after doing 4 years of work in 1.5 years, can officially call myself a Registered Nurse! Now if only I could find a job...

This coconut cake is the perfect way to jump-start this blog back in to gear. It's over the top, pretty and (most importantly) delicious. The original recipe called for quite a few illusive ingredients such as coconut oil and UNsweetened coconut chips, so I made a few alterations. There's also supposed to be booze in the cake, but I had to improvise since all the packies in Massachusetts are closed on Sundays (who knew??)! The cake is a little invovled, but if you have an afternoon to kill, definitely go for it.... this thing is delish!!!

Ingredients

CAKE:

2 3/4 cups cake flour plus more for pans

2 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

1 tbsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

2 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

5 large eggs

1/2 cup shortening, melted to warm

1 tsp coconut extract

1 cup buttermilk

SIMPLE SYRUP

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 water

1 tsp coconut extract

FROSTING

2 cups shredded coconut

2 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temp (I used reduced fat and it worked fine!)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp salt

41/2- 5 cups powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Arrange racks on top and bottom 1/3 of oven and preheat to 350 F. Butter and flour three 9 inch baking rounds. Whisk flour, coconut, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Using a stand or electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until blended together in between each addition. Add the shortening. Starting and ending with the dry ingredients, alternate mixing in the flour/coconut mixture and the buttermilk. Blend until batter just comes together. Divide the mixture in to the prepared cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in to the center of the pan comes our clean. Remove from oven, let cool for about 10 minutes, then flip on to wire cooling rack and let cool completely.

While the cake is backing, mix 1/2 cups sugar and water together in saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves in to water. Add coconut extract and let cool. When the cake is flipped on to wire cooling rack, spread syrup over each later, letting it soak in to cake.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place shredded coconut on to cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and spread coconut evenly across. Bake for about 10 minutes, until some (but not all) of the shreds are browned. Remove and let cool.

Using an electric or stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Add milk, coconut extract and salt and blend for another minute. Add sugar and blend on low for about a minute, and increase the speed to high for about 5 minutes. Frosting should be light and fluffy but firm enough to hold the cake together.

Assemble the cake using about 1/2 cup of frosting in between each layer. Frost top and sides of cake generously, then pat the browned coconut shreds on top and sides of the cake. Chill if waiting to serve, or dig in!

Lemon Cupcakes Round 2

So here is my attempt at a more moist, more decadent, lemon cupcake. I have to say I succeeded, but this is definitely for those with a serious sweet tooth!

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 package instant lemon pudding

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup oil

3/4 cup hot water

3 eggs

8 oz sour cream

zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all of the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pudding mix) in a large bowl until well blended. Add all of the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Add the lemon zest and incorporate evenly. Fill lined cupcake tins until 2/3 full, the add desired fruit (I added blueberries and raspberries!) Bake 20-24 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool and frost!

I have to admit I cheated on this one. I used store bought frosting!! So embarassed... but I shouldn't cause it was totally delicious and when my friend Halley came over to help me decorate, it was much easier! We used two containers of Betty Crocker(TM) Lemon Buttercream, as well as a Vanilla from the same brand. We frosted the whole cupcake with the lemon frosting, put a blue or purple dollop of frosting (colored with Wilson coloring paste) in the center, and topped with a raspberry or blueberry! So cute!

I know this page is for recipes but...

I couldn't resist putting this picture up... I absolutely did not decorate these myself, but my friend Caitlin did! See the friends and family page for more:)

Best Carrot Cupcakes Ever

I really have to stop saying this, but seriously, they're that good.

Ingredients

Group 1:

1 1/3 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinammon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp salt

Group 2:

2/3 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

Group 3:

1 1/2 cup finely grated peeled carrots

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake tin (it making a cake, grease and line pan with parchment paper... this batter is very sticky!).

Whisk together all ingredients from group 1 until well blended. Add ingredients from group 2 and incorporate with a rubber spatula. Finally stir in ingredients from group 3. Bake for 22-26 minutes until tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the frosting, I made a tangy cream cheese frosting with a recipe from Hummingbird Bakery in Notting Hill, London (thanks to my lovely twin sister for the new cookbook!). Here it is:

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tbs butter, room temp

4 oz cold cream cheese

Beat sugar and butter together until the mixture comes together and is well blended. Add the cream cheese all at once and beat until it is completely incorporated. Then increase the speed of the beater to high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, but be careful not to over beat the mixture.. you don't want it to become runny! Frost and ENJOY!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

First off, I have to apologize for my lack of posting recently! I've just been admitted to graduate school and life has been a little hectic. But there have still been big things happening in the kitchen... It's official. Best cupcakes yet. Is it unfair that I say that every time I make something?

For these DELICIOUS treats I used the chocolate cupcakes recipe that you see in the previous post. To add a little twist, I filled the cupcake molds 1/3 full with batter added a chocolate peanut butter cup candy, and then filled the mold so it was about 2/3 full total. I baked for 20-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the side of cupcake came out clean. I let the cupcakes cool then topped them with my fabulous peanut butter frosting! Here is the recipe:

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

Simply combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Be careful using a handheld electric mixer, as this frosting is pretty thick! Maybe blend with the mixer then by hand until smooth.

Frost using your favorite method and decorate! YUMMMMM!!! My boyfriend said these made his top two favorite desserts of all time, and the batch I brought to work was polished off very quickly. There is no doubt I'll be making these again and again!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Until now, I have been using a doctored cake mix recipe to make my chocolate cupcakes, and they've always been a huge hit, but it never felt like I had truely made them myself. Here is my own, original recipe for chocolate cupcakes!

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cups powdered cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 packet instant chocolate pudding

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cups oil

3/4 cups hot water

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

Buttercream frosting (frosts 12)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Cupcakes:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Add the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pudding mix to a large bowl and blend throughly (I used a fork to do this step). Then add vanilla and eggs, followed by the oil and hot water (water must be HOT in order to activate the pudding mix, which is a big factor in this cakes moistness). Finally, mix in the sour cream and blend thoroughly. Line cupcake tins with liners and fill about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Frosting:

Put room temperature butter in a bowl and add 2 cups of sugar and the milk and vanilla. Using an electric mixer blend on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the remaining sugar 1 cup at a time. After each addition blend for two minutes. Add food coloring if desired. Frost your yummy cupcakes and eat them!!!

These cupcakes are UNREAL. SooOooOoo moist and delicious and chocolatey... I have to admit I am extremely proud of myself. The frosting was, literally, the icing on the cake. So light and fluffy, and just YUM! You need to make sure you add the full 4 cups of sugar and are making the frosting in a cool room, otherwise your pretty designs will essentially melt (I may have had some issues with this...). Otherwise a PERFECT 10!!!!

Lemon Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup white sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lemon

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup milk

Filling- Lemon curd

3 large eggs

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (3 lemons)

3/4 cup white sugar

4 tbs unsalted butter, room temp, cut into small slices

Whipped Cream Frosting

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbs white sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With mixer, beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing thoroughly in between each one. Beat in lemon zest and vanilla extract. In a seperate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk until blended. Line cupcake pan with paper liners, and fill 2/3 full. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool.

For the lemon curd, creat a double boiler by placing a bowl over a pan of simmering water. In the bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and lemon juice until blended. Stir constantly over heat for about 10 minutes until the mixture becomes thick. Remove from heat and cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter is completely melted. Over the curd with a piece of saran wrap (to avoid a skin forming) and put in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes or more.

Once the lemon curd is cooled the cupcakes are ready to be filled. I used a paring knife to cut out an inch long cone out of the top of the cupcake. I filled the hole with the lemon curd, cut the "pointy" end of the cone off, and replaced the top of the cupcake!

For the frosting, combine the whipping cream, vanilla extract and sugar into a bowl and mix. Then place the bowl and the whisk (or bandles of the electric beater) in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. When sufficently cooled, remove bowl and beat the mixture until stiff peaks form. Add food coloring if you'd like and decorate your cupcakes!

If you don't eat your cupcakes immediately (like I did...) store them in the fridge so the whipped cream frosting doesnt melt and the lemon curd stays fresh! Believe it or not I thought these were even better the day AFTER I baked them! Some thing about them being in the fridge overnight and cooled all the way through was just great! I love the whipped cream frosting on this... cupcakes with such a refreshing flavor as lemon should have a light frosting to go with them, and this was PERFECT! I will definitely make these again, and am already getting requests! Sorry about not adding the pictures to each of the steps, but these cupcakes were an intense labor of love! Happy baking!