Coconut Raspberry Cake and High Horse Alert

Preamble. Also, High Horse Alert for the next 2 paragraphs: If you're reading this, you know that clue #5 and the MS3 theme were released yesterday. As I reviewed the group's messages, I got more than a little irate at the pissy tone of a few of the negative posts.

It's fine to disapprove of the direction the design has taken, but I don't understand why people have to: 1.) publicly air a sour, mean attitude, and 2.) say things that are nonconstructive and borderline insulting toward a woman who has given tirelessly of her abilities and time. (Wait just one minute while I dismount the High Horse -- I'm starting to get a nose bleed. There, that's better.)

So I found myself feeling bad for Melanie yesterday, and wondered what I could do. I thought, "If I lived in her town, I would make her my coconut raspberry cake." It is the one thing I make that is any good -- a cook/baker I ain't. This cake is the exception to the rule.

But since I live, oh, 1500 miles away from where she lives, I just posted a little note of support on the MS3 message board, and mentioned that if she were next door I'd thank her with a cake. Someone on the board said "I love coconut. And raspberries. And cake." Well, if any of you are like-minded, you will love this cake. I've probably made it 50+ times, and it's a winner:


Coconut Raspberry Cake
modified from a recipe originally in Cooking Light
Oven: 350 degrees
Bake for: 30 minutes
Pans: 2 9” cake pans

This cake tends to stick. Here is my (almost) guaranteed method for keeping it from sticking: Using your pan as a guide, cut 2 9” circles of parchment paper. First spray the bottom of your pans with nonstick spray, then put parchment paper circles on the bottom. Then re-spray both pans (just bottoms) and flour the pans. (Pain in the neck, but works!)

Cake Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups sifted cake flour
2-1/4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1-2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large fresh eggs (I think fresh eggs make a diff. w/this cake)
1 14-oz can of coconut milk (either light or regular -- coconut milk is usually found in the Asian foods section in the supermarket.)
1 Tablespoon good quality vanilla extract (OR 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp coconut extract)

Frosting/Filling Ingredients:
1 to 2 pints of raspberries (rinse and thoroughly dry berries early in the day, if possible. I leave mine on several layers of paper towels and flip them over every once in a while to make sure they dry thoroughly.)
2 8-oz blocks of cream cheese, either regular or light (regular makes a denser, less runny frosting and is my preference)
2 tsp vanilla extract (can substitute part with coconut extract, if desired)
2 to 4 cups powdered sugar
½ to 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
** raspberries for garnish, if desired
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In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl mix sugar and butter until well blended (2-3 minutes) add eggs and beat another 1-2 minutes. Add flour mixture and coconut milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Stir in vanilla (and coconut extract, if desired).

Pour batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap each pan on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake cakes for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cakes for 10 minutes in pans, then transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

(** I’ve cooked the cake one day, cooled it, slipped each layer in a zip lock bag and frozen them, then iced the still slightly frozen cake the next day. This worked out fine – the cake was still very moist.)

Frosting/Filling
Beat cream cheeses together with an electric mixer. Add vanilla extract. Mix in enough sifted powdered sugar to make the frosting spreadable. (I like to add as little sugar as necessary, as I don’t like the frosting too sweet.) Don’t overmix the frosting.

Put a blob of frosting on your cake tray and spread it around. (“Glues” the cake to the tray.) Put first cake layer on tray, then spread with a thin layer of frosting and a single thick layer of raspberries. (The closer the berries are together, the better.) Plop other cake on top and frost. At this point, my cake always looks like a complete mess, but keep going; it gets better.

Press coconut into sides of cake – a messy operation but it hides any imperfections in your frosting job. Sprinkle coconut on top and garnish with raspberries, a couple of mint leaves, a paperclip sculpture of the Eiffel tower, or whatever you have handy.

Store cake loosely covered in a cool area (or refrigerate). Best when eaten within 24-48 hours.