Piña Colada Cake for a Special Birthday

The special meal (Sauerbraten, Semmelknödel, and Blaukraut) that I featured recipes for last week were for my husband whose birthday happens to fall on Valentine's Day. It is tradition in our home, that the birthday boy or girl gets to pick the meal (homemade or eating out) and the cake. If you've been reading my blog for a while you know by now that my husband is not a fan of chocolate, with the exception of a few dishes like the German Chocolate Cupcakes he requested last year. For his birthday it is usually a given that he will pick a cake that has not one fleck of chocolate (white chocolate excluded) in it. Last year he picked Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake which is what started my blog and this year after looking through a couple of my recipe books he "settled" on Piña Colada Cake from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes. Always up for a good challenge, I decided this would be some great practice to continue working on my layered cake skills.

Layered cakes and in specific, more than two layer cakes are something that does not come easy to me. I'm getting better at it, and the cakes do taste very good after all is said and done, but the process gives me a little bit of anxiety. Today's featured cake is composed of three key components. A brown sugar cake, a pineapple filling and a coconut buttercream. First up the cake. This cake was everything and more I had hoped for. Fantastic flavor and texture, but it gave me a little bit of trouble in the oven and happened to dome in the middle (which might be due to my oven, I haven't figured that one out yet). I had to level all three layers with a knife (not an easy task for this lefty) before being able to use them. The second component was the pineapple filling. Who knew, that a combination of crushed pineapple, sugar, lime and vanilla bean would end up tasting so utterly decadent. I could eat this stuff by the spoonful, on vanilla ice cream, Greek yogurt, etc, I'm sure you get the picture. I will definitely be making this filling again all by itself since there are so many great applications for it. The last, and most certainly not least, component was the coconut frosting, which is another winner. An Italian meringue buttercream which to me tastes so much better and lighter (if that is even possible, considering all the butter) that gets its coconut flavor from a combination of coconut milk and coconut extract. Everything came together very easy, putting it together is where the going got a little tougher for me. The cake is assembled by placing one of the cake layers on a cake plate where it is then drizzled with rum (oh yeah, baby) and a layer of the pineapple jam. Another cake layer, more rum and pineapple filling and then the final cake layer and more rum. If you look closely at my cake slice you'll see I put my second and third layer together upside down which makes the cake appear like there is a whole different layer of filling. Nope, not the case, just Susi messing up slightly ;o) I tried removing the layer so I could fix it but between the rum-drenched cake and filling it started to fall apart and I just decided to leave it as is.

The final step, frosting the cake and applying toasted coconut to the sides. For decoration I simply chose fresh pineapple slices and a bit more coconut.

The verdict? The cake is incredible! The birthday boy loved every little thing about it. A perfect balance of flavors that will just melt in your mouth. It is truly reminiscent of the drink. With a couple of teeny tiny adjustments this recipe would be perfect. First up the amount of rum, which my kids were not nearly as enthusiastic about as the adults. You could leave it out completely or replace it with pineapple juice. I also ended up reducing the rum to about 1/3 cup (I reflected this change in the recipe) total between all the layers. The 2/3 cup the recipe called for would have been overkill and I happen to like rum flavored desserts. The other thing I would change the next time is to double the recipe for the pineapple jam. There could have easily been more of that without being too much and I ended up having to spread it a little too thin around the edges so that there would be enough. I made the cake one day before my husband's birthday and while I was busy for a few hours, baking, cooking and assembling, the process wasn't too bad or difficult. One thing I did recognize is that the cake actually got better with each additional day it sat in the refrigerator. The rum had time to soak into all the layers and the flavor wasn't nearly as strong on day 3 as when it was first cut. Another plus is that the cake stayed wonderfully moist. My husband ended up taking some of it to work where it got the thumbs up and a few requests for the recipe. Would I bake this cake again? Absolutely, without a doubt, this recipe is a keeper and if Piña Coladas make you think of tropical islands, sunshine, umbrella drinks and sandy beaches give this recipe a go, chances are you won't regret it and you'll feel like you are on vacation!

Piña Colada Cake

(adapted from "Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes")

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

For the pineapple filling:

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice (no sugar added)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 one-inch piece of vanilla bean, split in half

For the brown sugar cake:

3 3/4 cups cake flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups light brown sugar

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

5 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the coconut buttercream:

3 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/4 water

2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract

For assembling the cake:

Brown Sugar Cake (baked and cooled)

Pineapple Filling, at room temperature

Coconut Buttercream

1/3 cup rum (light, amber, or dark, whichever you prefer)

Toasted coconut flakes

Thin slices of pineapple for decoration

Preparation:

For the pineapple filling: Combine the crushed pineapple, sugar, and lime juice in a large nonreactive skillet. With the tip of a small knife, scrape the vanilla seed into the pan; add the pod as well. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, 2 to 3 minutes.

Raise the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until the juices have almost completely evaporated and the pineapple has a jam-like consistency. Remove from the heat an discard the vanilla pod. Let the pineapple filling cool completely before using. (The filling can me made a day ahead and refrigerated. Let return to room temperature before using.)

For the brown sugar cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixer bowl; whisk gently to combine. Add the brown sugar, butter, and 1 1/2 cups of the buttermilk to the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, blend to incorporate. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Whisk the eggs with the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk and the vanilla and add to the batter in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well and beating only long enough to incorporate between additions. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes; then turn out onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and allow to cool completely before filling and frosting.

For the coconut buttercream: Put the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment so they are all ready to go.

Combine the sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and place over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

Beat the egg whites briefly at medium speed.Slowly add the hot syrup in a thin stream, being careful to avoid the beaters. Continue to whip until the meringue has cooled to body temperature.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the butter, several tablespoons at a time, and continue to beat until a smooth, fluffy frosting forms.

Add the coconut milk in several additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well after each addition. Add the coconut extract and mix until smooth.

For assembling the cake: Place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Carefully brush with rum. Spread half of the pineapple filling over the layer, leaving a 1/3-inch margin around the edge. Add the second layer, brush with more rum, and cover with the remaining filling. Top with the third layer, flat side up, brush with the remaining rum. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the coconut buttercream. Decorate with toasted coconut and thin slices of pineapple. 

Adapted from: Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

Have you ever taken the time and looked at the ingredient list of store bought granola bars?  I have, and I was truly appalled to find so many strange ingredients listed in the nutritional info of several well known brands. Shouldn't something so wholesome be well, wholesome? Shouldn't you be able to feel good if you are packing them for your kids lunch or as a snack? I certainly thought so, and after seeing quite a few fantastic looking granola bars pop up on some of the blogs I read, I set out to find a version my family would love.

I didn't have to look further than Foodnetwork.com which had a basic granola bar recipe from the incomparable Ina Garten. I figured it was a great starting point. I loved the simplicity of her ingredients in the bars and only added a few of my own touches to end up with something that my kids think is "sell-worthy", but then again, they are kind of biased and I pay them to say things like that.

I used the recipe as more of a guideline and encourage you to do the same. The sky is the limit as far as flavor combinations are concerned. There are truly so many options when it comes to this recipe. You can chose any nut (I used almonds) but anything from pecans, to walnuts or pistachios would be wonderful. The dried fruit part is equally adjustable to your taste preferences. I used dried cranberries, but again anything from raisins to dried apricots or cherries would be lovely. I do think a couple of things are key though. Use only high quality ingredients in this recipe, they are a must for flavor. Also, watch the oats and nuts along with the coconut closely while toasting in the oven, you definitely don't want to burn it. The recipe calls for toasted wheat germ, I just toasted it on top of the stove in a dry pan but it also requires a watchful eye. There is not much difference in the time between a perfectly toasted batch and burned wheat germ, sometimes that means only a matter of seconds. Last but not least, I rounded out my granola bars with semi-sweet chocolate chips and some roasted sunflower kernels.

These bars are wonderful! Once baked and cooled they can be stored in an air-tight container for at least a week, that is, if they last that long. This is going in my recipe file and I will be making them many more times. The best compliment was probably from my husband though, who is not a granola bar eater like the rest of us, but who fell in love with them and has been eating one every day for his breakfast. I definitely know they are good when that happens.

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut, loosely packed

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

3/4 cup sunflower kernels, roasted

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2/3 cup honey

1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the toasted wheat germ and sunflower kernels.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the cranberries and stir well. Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes then stir in the chocolate chips. If you do this any earlier they will just melt.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into rectangles or squares. Serve at room temperature.

Adapted from: Ina Garten

German Chocolate Cupcakes

Even after being married for over 18 years my husband still takes me by surprise. He's been telling me for years how much he dislikes chocolate desserts and quite frankly he never craves anything chocolate besides the very occasional Resse's Peanut Butter cup. So, imagine my confusion and surprise when I asked a couple of days ago what sweet treat I should blog about next and he answered very quickly: "German chocolate cake, I love that!" Huh,  did he just say chocolate cake? He swiftly let me know that this cake is not really a chocolate cake because of the frosting. Really, who am I to argue this logic? Since I had just made a big triple layer cake I was looking for something more portable and portion controlled (meaning something that I could easily distribute to friends and neighbors) and with that in mind, I found these cupcakes in my Martha Stewart's: Cupcakes book.

For the record, German Chocolate cake has nothing to do with Germany. It is one of my pet peeves when people assume that just because I was born and raised there I should be an expert on this cake. I'm sorry to disappoint, but I didn't even know such cake existed till a few years ago when I ate it at a party. In case you wonder how the name came about, it traces back to Bakers sweet German chocolate which was invented by Samuel German for the Bakers brand in 1852. Traditional German chocolate cake is a layered chocolate cake filled and topped with a coconut-pecan frosting.

Today's recipe is pretty close to some of the traditional ones out there, but veers slightly by using melted semi-sweet chocolate instead of the German chocolate baking bars which makes it a little less sweet. Cake flour and buttermilk ensure that the cake part of this cupcake is wonderfully moist and light. The frosting is cooked on top of the stove out of egg yolks, butter, brown sugar and condensed milk. Once the mixture is thick, it is removed from the heat and strained into a bowl where vanilla, salt, sweetened coconut, and toasted pecans finish it off. When the frosting is cooled and firmed up, you are ready to frost your cupcakes. I decided to go against Martha's instructions and only top the cupcakes with the frosting (she had you cut them apart and add filling in the middle as well). I decided to add a little classic touch by drizzling the finished dessert with a quick chocolate ganache.

How did this mini-cake measure up to the traditional? Everyone loved this portion controlled version of the original. One is plenty rich and leaves you perfectly satisfied without being overly full. My daughter, the chocoholic thought the ganache drizzle is what made this cupcake. My boys didn't talk, they just inhaled, and my husband, well, he gave me a big sticky sweet kiss right after he finished his. I take that as a compliment!

German Chocolate Cupcakes

~makes 24 cupcakes~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for tins

2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted, plus more for tins

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Coconut-Pecan Frosting (recipe to follow)

Chocolate Ganache, optional (recipe to follow)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush stand muffin tins with butter; dust with cake flour, tapping out excess. whisk together cake flour, baking soda, and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in chocolate until combined.

Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes Run a small offset spatula of knife around the edges to loosen; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

To finish, spread frosting on top of each cupcake. Drizzle with ganache (if desired).

Adapted from: Martha Stewart's: Cupcakes 

Coconut-Pecan Frosting

~makes about 4 cups~

Ingredients:

3 large egg yolks

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 package (7 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions:

Heat egg yolks, evaporated milk, brown sugar, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, about 10 minutes (it should reach the consistency of sour cream). Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl.

Stir vanilla, salt, coconut, and pecans into frosting. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally, Frosting can be refrigerated up to 1 day in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature and stir with a flexible spatula until smooth.

Chocolate Ganache

3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted

3-5 tablespoons heavy cream

Stir heavy cream by the tablespoon into the melted chocolate until combined and it reaches desired "drizzle" consistency. Use immediately.

Ice Cream Fridays: Coconut-Almond Gelato and Giveway Winner Announcement

Welcome to another edition of Ice Cream Fridays. Every Friday during the next few months (or until I get tired of it) you can look forward to a new ice cream recipe which will hopefully inspire you to break out your old dust covered ice cream maker that is hiding somewhere in a closet (yes, I'm talking about you). Since I'm always looking for inspiration and ideas, feel free to leave me a comment here on my blog or on my facebook page, and let me know what ice cream flavor you would like to see. Who knows, you might just get lucky and it will be featured the following week.

Remember when I told you a few weeks ago that I was so excited about my coconut ice cream flavor that I made two different ice creams containing coconut? Well, today I'm featuring the second one, an Almond Joy Gelato inspired by one of my favorite candy bars.

Really, is there any way to go wrong with coconut, almonds, and chocolate? I didn't think so, and when I found this recipe in yet another fantastic ice cream book, The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto  I couldn't have been happier.

This recipe starts pretty much like most ice creams I've made in the last few weeks, with a cooked custard. Only difference is, the milk and cream proportions get reversed, which means less fat in the finished dessert. The cooked custard is then cooled in the refrigerator before adding almond extract and coconut. The base is then churned in your ice cream maker, and right before it finishes, toasted almonds and chopped up semi-sweet (or bitter-sweet) chocolate are added to the mix.

This is a great recipe that was really tasty. I enjoyed it and so did my two older kids. Unfortunately my youngest and husband didn't care for it as much as some of the other recipes I have made. If there is one tiny complaint about this recipe it is definitely the "chew-factor". A small portion goes a long way since your jaw will get quite the workout from all the add-ins, but then maybe I'm just a wimp who enjoys a smoother ice cream.

But if Almond Joy is your candy of choice, this is a definite must-make recipe!
(Recipe after the winner announcement)

And now for the  $40.00 csn stores Giveaway Winner which was picked by Random.org:

Congratulations to 

Jessica from Sugar High

csn stores will contact you by email with the certificate code, enjoy your shopping trip!

Coconut-Almond Gelato
(adapted from The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto)
(Printable Recipe)


Ingredients:

Plain Base (recipe to follow)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 ounces coarsely chopped bitter or semi-sweet chocolate

Preparation:

Make the Plain Base and refrigerate as directed.

After the base has thoroughly chilled gently whisk in the almond extract, then stir in the coconut. Pour the mixture into the container of an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacture's instructions. Add the almonds and chocolate 5 minutes before the churning is completed. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.



Plain Base

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar

Preparation:

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the milk and cream. Place over medium low heat and cook, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn't form, until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges and the mixture reaches a temperature of 170 degrees F.

Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Gradually whisk in the sugar until it is well incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Temper the egg yolks by very slowly pouring in the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously. Return the custard to the saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and it reaches a temperature of 185 degrees F. Do not bring to a boil.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes or so. to cool the custard quickly, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water and placing the bowl with the custard in it; stir the custard until cooled. Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Black Beans with Rice and Coconut Shrimp

Is it Monday already again? Time seems to be flying lately and weekends go by way too fast. We had a fun hot weekend here in the Southwest with plenty of World Cup watching. Go Germany!

We also had a eventful food weekend, I was busy trying out a few new recipes and my wonderful husband was making homemade sausage. I'm hoping to have him write a guest post sometime soon about the great things he makes in the kitchen.

This weekend I set out to make a meal I have only had in restaurants so far, Coconut Shrimp. While thinking of side dishes I figured why not make homemade black beans served over white rice to keep the Caribbean feeling going. 

Beans were first. I found the recipe on Foodnetwork.com and was really happy with how the dish turned out. The beans are not complicated to make, but they do take a lot of time if made with dry beans, which I did. The beans are brought to a boil, then set aside for an hour, brought to a second boil and then lowered to a simmer for another hour and a half. After that you add spices along with onions and peppers, and once again the beans are cooked for another hour and a half or until soft. More seasonings and red wine vinegar finish off the dish. Thankfully after all this time the flavor in this dish was incredible and I will be making these beans many more times.

While the beans were cooking away I started working on the shrimp. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com, which was a good basic start but needed some alterations. Practically, shrimps are dipped in a seasoned flour mixture, get a quick bath through a simple beer batter, and are then tossed in unsweetened coconut. The coated shrimp are then laid out on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper and take a chill in the refrigerator before being fried in oil. While we all enjoyed this recipe along with the beans and the rice, it was agreed that I would continue looking for a different coconut shrimp recipe. Don't get me wrong, this is a decent recipe but I wanted a little more oomph, and these were lacking a bit of that.

Following are the recipes for both, plus stay tuned for a giveaway coming on Wednesday! It is truly a great one and you don't want to miss it!

Black Beans

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups (about 1/2 pound) dried black beans

12 cups water

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped

4 garlic cloves, mined

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and black pepper to taste

Cooked white rice for serving (optional)

Directions:

Put the beans in a large saucepan, add the water and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Set Aside, covered, for 1 hour.

Return the beans to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cook uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and coriander and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the onion mixture to the beans and continue simmering until the beans are very tender and the liquid has thickened, about 1 1/2 hours more.

If the beans seem to thick, adjust the consistency with a little bit of water. Stir in the vinegar, season with cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with white rice if desired.

Adapted from: Food Network

Coconut Shrimp 

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour, divided

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and Pepper 

1 egg

2/3 cup beer

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups flaked unsweetened coconut

24 shrimp, cleaned

3 cups peanut oil for frying

Directions:

Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow bowl. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, beer and baking powder. Whisk together.

Place coconut in another shallow bowl.

Hold shrimp by tail end, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip in egg/beer batter; allow excess to drip off. Roll shrimp in coconut, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep--fryer or large pot.

Fry shrimp in batches: cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Using tongs, move shrimp to paper towels to drain. Serve warm!

Adapted from: allrecipes.com

Ice Cream Fridays: Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Welcome to another edition of Ice Cream Fridays. Every Friday during the next few months (or until I get tired of it) you can look forward to a new ice cream recipe which will hopefully inspire you to break out your old dust covered ice cream maker that is hiding somewhere in a closet (yes, I'm talking about you). Since I'm always looking for inspiration and ideas, feel free to leave me a comment here on my blog or on my facebook page, and let me know what ice cream flavor you would like to see. Who knows, you might just get lucky and it will be featured the following week.

Today's pick is all about coconut. Coconut, with more coconut, and coconut on top. In other words you really need to like coconut for this ice cream to be appealing to you. Luckily, I have no problems with that and might even have a little coconut addiction (but don't tell anyone). In fact, I like it so much, that this week I was busy making not one, but two ice creams (one to be featured at a later date) containing coconut.

A little more time consuming to prepare than some of my other featured ice creams, but well worth the effort. To start this ice cream, sweetened coconut gets steeped in hot milk and cream to release all of its flavor into the milk mixture. A custard is then made with the coconut flavored milk, and finally sweetened cream of coconut (I used Coco Lopez) gets added along with some vanilla extract. After giving the mix a good chilling in the refrigerator for a few hours, and before you freeze it in your ice cream maker, you can add the coconut rum, which is optional but it will greatly improve the texture of the finished ice cream. Once the mixture gets thick and starts to freeze, and just when you thought it had enough flavor, even more coconut gets added to the mix, but this time toasted.

Wow, wow, wow! This ice cream is delicious! I could happily eat this every day of my life and even non-coconut fanatics have given this ice cream the seal of approval. I was sad to see this one gone, and can't wait to make more with my leftover Coco Lopez. I know the next batch won't go to waste either!

Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) whole milk

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream

1 1/4 cups (150 g) sweetened coconut, plus extra for optional garnish

4 large egg yolks

1 cup (250 g) sugar

4 tablespoons cream of coconut (like Coco Lopez)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon Malibu Coconut Rum (optional)

Directions:

In a medium sized saucepan, combine the milk, 1 cup of the cream, and 3/4 cup (90 g) of the coconut. cook over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes. Set aside for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing against the coconut. Return the milk mixture to the pan and place over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and remaining 1/2 cup (125 ml) cream in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon at low simmer, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4-6 minutes. Do not let the custard boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cream of coconut. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla. 

Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice cubes and water. Stir occasionally until cool. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours. Meanwhile, toast the remaining 1/2 cup (60 g) coconut, plus up to 1/4 cup (30 g) extra for garnish (if using), in a small, dry frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Right before freezing the ice cream add the Coconut Rum to the custard mixture if desired. Pour the custard into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. When it is the consistency of thick whipped cream, add the 1/2 cup toasted coconut. Churn or stir until just mixed. Transfer to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours. If desired, garnish each serving with toasted coconut.

Adapted from: Williams-Sonoma Collection: Ice Cream

Tropical Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Most people have probably seen and eaten Pineapple Upside Down Cake once or twice in their life. You know, the American icon made with canned pineapple and maraschino cherries. The one where you melt sugar and butter in a cake pan before adding the fruit and then topping it with cake batter before baking it. The same one that once baked you invert the hot sugary mess onto a serving platter all the while trying not to burn yourself. 

The cake itself originated in the 1920's when Jim Dole decided to increase canned pineapple production immensely and pineapple recipes appeared to be at an all time high. Magazines and cookbooks held contests to come up with new and innovative recipes and the Pineapple Upside Down Cake has held a place in the American culture ever since. As with everything food related, it appears that this cake has gone through it's fair share of ebbs and flows but many people view it to this day as comfort food.

I found this recipe in "Cake Keeper Cakes" where the original recipe called for mango. My grocery store unfortunately only had sad looking mangoes, that weren't even on sale so I decided to go with fresh pineapple instead. I thought that the tartness of the fresh pineapple would lend a wonderful contrast to the sweetness of the topping. Dark rum, coconut, and macadamia nuts add more tropical flair and flavor to this cake which a traditional Pineapple Upside Down Cake is sometimes lacking. 

The cake is made quickly, and while it is not the most photogenic cake out there, it is certainly very tasty. My family loved the twist on an old-fashioned favorite and enjoyed eating it warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. This is a great cake that can be easily made for a last minute dessert and I'm adding this to my ever so growing recipe file.

Tropical Pineapple Upside Down Cake

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

For the Topping:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons dark rum

1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/3 cup unsalted macadamia nuts, finely chopped

1 fresh pineapple, cut into chunks

For the Cake:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, separated

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

6 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Make the topping: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9-inch round nonstick cake pan and dust with flour.

Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Whisk in the brown sugar, turn the heat to low, and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Stir in the rum. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and tilt to cover the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the coconut and macadamia nuts over the sugar mixture. Arrange the pineapple slices on top. Set aside.

Make the cake: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they just hold stiff peaks. Transfer to another bowl.

Place the egg yolks and granulated sugar in the large mixing bowl (no need to wash it) and beat on medium-high speed until pale yellow and increased in volume, about 5 minutes. Mix in the lime zest, milk, and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until smooth. Gently fold the whipped egg white into the batter.

Pour the batter over the pineapple, gently spreading it into an even layer with a spatula. Place cake pan on baking sheet.*

Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand for 5 minutes.

Holding the pan and plate together firmly with oven mitts, immediately invert the hot cake onto the plate. If necessary, replace any fruit stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes and serve warm, or serve at room temperature.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper at room temperature, or warp loosely in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

* This was not in the directions, but I'm glad I did this as I would have had a terrible sugary mess in my oven otherwise since it bubbled over the sides of the cake pan.

Adapted from: Cake Keeper Cakes

Lots-Of-Ways Banana Cake

For this weeks BWD: Baking with Dorie Challenge, it was Grapefruit's pick once again and she decided on Lots-Of-Ways Banana Cake on Page 204 and 205 in Dorie Greenspan's book

Baking: From my home to yours.

I was ecstatic when I heard about this pick since I really love banana cake, as does the rest of my family. I've been making a great chocolaty banana cake for a long time so this recipe had to measure up to this old family favorite.

The recipe itself is more of a guide line. Dorie gives a lot of suggestions as to what ingredients you can use but ultimately with this recipe the sky is the limit since there are so many flavor combinations possible. Practically, besides the flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and bananas, nothing is written in stone, and it is up to the individual baker as to where to go from there.

I had a hard time trying to decide which direction I wanted to take with this cake since all the combinations sounded so delicious, but I finally settled on a tropical version. In addition to coconut rum, unsweetened coconut milk and sweetened coconut flakes, I added chopped dried mango and dried pineapple to the batter.

Since I had just made a two layer cake for Easter I did not want to go this route again so I decided to just use my Wilton 17 by 11 inch cookie sheet that I lined with parchment paper. I baked the cake for  25 minutes and it came out perfect. I let it cool and then proceeded to frost it with a simple sweetened whipped cream. I sprinkled some more of the dried pineapple and mango on top and cut it into bars.

The cake itself was moist right out of the oven, but the magic happened over night. The dried fruit had absorbed some of the cakes moisture and plumped up inside the cake as well as on top of the frosting. The flavors worked wonderful together and considering my husband brought home an empty cake carrier, I'm thinking his colleagues at work liked it as well.

Did it measure up to my recipe of chocolate banana cake? It did but differently, I still like the chocolate banana version better, but will add this tropical kind into my recipe files for future baking adventures. I think this is a wonderful cake that screams sunshine. As always, Dorie Greenspan and her phenomenal recipes do not disappoint.  

Check out Grapefruit's page for the recipe and Elizabeth's page to see what they thought about this cake and what twist on this recipe they came up with.

For our next BWD in two weeks (the 26th of April) it is Elizabeth's pick with The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart  on Page 331 and 332. So if any of this has peeked your interest and you want to join the fun with us next time, just shoot me or Grapefruit an email and we'd be more than happy to have you.