Coconut Cake

I love this in the springtime. I made one this winter when it stayed cold way too long - wishful thinking. It's perfect to have on Easter.

Makes a nine-inch, two layer cake

For a more dramatic cake, double recipe and make it four layers.

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350°

Lightly spray two nine-inch round baking pans with canola spray. Trace the bottom of the cake pan on a piece of parchment paper. Cut out the circle and place it in the pan, pressing down so it sticks to the pan.

Sift together:

• 2 1/3 cup cake flour

• 2 t baking powder

• ½ t salt

Cream, using the paddle attachment on your mixer:

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter

• 1 1/3 cup sugar

Add, one at a time, mixing thoroughly between additions, and scraping sides and bottom of the mixing bowl once or twice:

• 3 eggs

Add:

• 1 t vanilla extract

Add about half the dry ingredients to the butter and mix slowly for 10 seconds or so. Then add:

• 1 ¼ cup coconut milk

Mix another 10 seconds. Add the rest of the flour and mix another 10 seconds on very slow speed. Remove bowl from mixer and finish combining by hand with a large spatula. Pour evenly into cake pans and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan (or do the toothpick test).

Cool completely in pans – first cool to room temperature then overnite if possible.

Using a serrated knife, level the top of each cake (trim off the rounded muffin top).

Frost with Cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle sweetened, shredded coconut over the top and sides after frosting.

Keeps for about a week, but cover it well.