The Four
Coconut Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting, Buckeye, Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting, Gift ideas
Hi everyone and welcome!
I’m so glad you’re joining me today. This week’s edition of The Four is coming to you from Virginia. I’m actually writing to you from the hospital, where I’m with my dad, who will have aortic valve replacement surgery in two days, and he just turned 92 on Monday. Whew!
Spring is abloom and I just missed Virginia’s Historic Garden Week, a 97-year old tradition that takes place the last week of April every year. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see some gorgeous historic homes and gardens. During 8 days, 48 Virginia garden clubs put on a massive coordinated effort to open over 120 private homes and gardens to the public. The proceeds are used for the restoration of public gardens throughout Virginia. If you’re ever in Virginia at the end of April, I highly recommend this event.
Mother’s Day is coming up, and I realize there can be complicated emotions related to this day, so I don’t want to beat you over the head with it. If you happen to be celebrating Mother’s Day or any day at all, I have two sweet recipes for you to try. I did finally finish another book, and I loved it; sharing at #2. If you need a few ideas for Mother’s Day gifts (frankly these would work for any occasion) check out a short list at #4. Read on.
1. Coconut Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
My dad’s favorite cake is a coconut layer cake, closely followed by a rum cake. I made this version from Sally’s Baking Addiction, just to try something different. For years I’ve made the coconut cake from Cakewalk which we all enjoy as well. This cake would make a festive dessert for a Mother’s Day celebration, if you are celebrating. But don’t wait for an occasion to make it; Thursday is good enough. You won’t be disappointed. The layers are incredibly moist and benefit from some fridge or freezer time before you frost them. The cold will just make frosting easier on you. Don’t reach for perfection though, because the coating of sweetened shredded coconut covers any perceived imperfections. Makes one 8” 3-layer cake or one 9” 2-layer cake.
2 ½ c (285g) cake flour
½ t kosher salt
2 t baking powder
½ t baking soda
¾ c (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ⅔ c (330g) granulated sugar
5 egg whites, room temperature
½ c (120g) sour cream, room temperature
2 t vanilla bean paste or extract
1 t coconut extract
1 c (226g) unsweetened coconut milk
1 c (80g) shredded coconut, sweetened
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz (227g) cream cheese, room temperature
8 oz (227g) unsalted butter, softened
5 c (600g) confectioners’ sugar
2 T (30ml) coconut milk
1 t vanilla bean paste (or extract)
½ t coconut extract
Pinch salt
2 c (160g) shredded coconut, sweetened
Butter or grease three 8 or two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper and lightly butter/grease the paper. Flour, and tap out excess. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or you can use a hand mixer), beat together the butter and sugar on medium high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, then beat in the egg whites. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and coconut extract. The mixture may look curdled but that’s ok. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternating with the coconut milk. Beat until just combined, then fold in the coconut.
Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for about 23 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Refrigerating the cake layers will make frosting them easier.
While cakes bake, use a hand mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, to beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. On low speed, add in confectioners’ sugar a half cup at a time. Add in the vanilla, coconut extract, and salt. Increase speed once sugar is incorporated and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Frost the cake, using about 1 cup of frosting between each layer, then the remainder on the top and sides. Sprinkle coconut on top of the cake and pat onto the sides if desired.
This cake is very fluffy and moist and can be hard to serve so refrigerating it for an hour before serving helps.
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2. Buckeye
Just finished “Buckeye” by Patrick Ryan and I loved it. A sweeping historical novel, the story follows two couples in the fictional town of Bonhomie, Ohio during the turbulent years after World War II up until the late 1970s. The families become intertwined by a moment of passion and the resulting secrets become catalysts for life-changing decisions. The character development is masterful; I feel like I now know these people and would recognize them if I passed them on the street. What stayed with me the most is the depiction of the effects of war on the ones who go off to fight, the civilian populations caught up in conflict, and the families left behind. Frankly it just makes me angry that we’re enmeshed in another unwinnable war, and that our government has cut services to veterans. It’s unconscionable. A topic for another day perhaps, but “Buckeye” is an enthralling read.
3. Beatty’s Chocolate Cupcakes
Sometimes chocolate is the answer to all my problems, at least temporarily. And what is better than a chocolate cupcake? They’re such a small commitment; no big layer cake staring at you from the counter day after day. They’re bitesized, less judgmental, and easily giftable. Ina Garten’s recipe for Beatty’s Chocolate Cake is my go-to chocolate layer cake recipe, but it also makes for great, moist, chocolate cupcakes. The recipe makes 24 cupcakes, or you could divide it up differently by making 12 cupcakes and two 4-inch mini cakes or one 8-inch layer. The possibilities are endless. I like to frost the cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting, but if you like a lot of frosting, you might need to double the recipe below to frost 24 cupcakes.
