Coconut Cake with Coconut Frosting

My daughters birthday just passed and this is the cake she wanted.  I don't think she ever had it before.  But she loves coconut.  So this is what she picked.  We all love coconut!

It is amazing how time flies.  I can't believe how fast she is growing up.  I know to say these words is a cliche.  You hear it over and over again.  You don't realize when you are younger what these words mean.  Its only when it is your life to you fully comprehend.  Like all things.  One usually has to go through something to fully understand it. All its nuances.  Like, the passage time I see in her, I don't necessarily want to see this time passage in myself.  Like it or not, though, this is the way it is.

Coconut Cake

5 large eggs, separated
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour or regular flour minus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups flaked coconut, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line 2 9 inch rounds with parchment and grease with butter or cooking spray.

Cream together butter, oil and sugar for five minutes.  Add in yolks, one at a time.  Add vanilla extract and coconut extract.

In another bowl combine flour and baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Mix in dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Fold in coconut.

In a separate bowl beat egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.  Fold into the batter.

Spoon into prepared pans.  Bake for

Coconut Frosting

1 cup butter
4 cups (give or take) confectioners sugar
Coconut Cream*

Cream butter and coconut cream together with confectioners sugar.  Beat until smooth.

*I skimmed the top of the can of coconut milk as I did not have cream of coconut.  If you have it you could replace one of the butters or just use 1/3 cup and do what I did.

Egg Rice Bowl

I just had the most amazing lunch.  I have made this rice before.  I love it.  This time I added a few different things since it was just me eating it.  No picky eaters saying I don't like this and I don't like that.  I love how it came out.

Rice and Egg Bowl

1 cup rice ( I used Basmati rice)
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water

1 tablespoon butter 
1 tablespoon avocado oil (may be needed)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup pineapple, chopped 
2 green onions, chopped thinly
2 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger, grated
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 package mock crap chunks.

Cook the rice as normal but instead of adding just water, add half coconut milk and half water.

While the rice is cooking.  Cook mock crab chunks in butter.  Set aside when warmed.  In that same pan, cook bell peppers until tender.  Add in some oil if needed. Add in pineapple, heat until warmed through.  Add in garlic and ginger and heat until fragrant.  Add in the cooked rice.  Add in tamari and sriracha.    Sprinle with chopped green onions.

Add the cooked egg over top.

COCONUT LIME SCONES

These are the most fluffiest and moist scones I have ever eaten.  So creamy. The lime taste brightens your mouth.  Perfect for your morning breakfast.

I have said it before, if you have any preconceived notions about scones being dry, put that aside and make your own scones.  You will be richly rewarded with tender delicious, melt in your mouth awesomeness to go along side you coffee or tea.

COCONUT LIME SCONES

Use the coconut milk that comes in the can, not in the quart containers in the dairy aisle. Very important:  for a creamy moist scone- do not over bake!
Makes 8 scones

2 1/2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)

1 cup coconut milk

1 extra large egg
zest of 2 limes, plus more for topping

For the glaze:
2 tablespoons coconut milk
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
juice of 1 lime

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Or, if you have a scone pan, grease it up.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Cut in the butter.  You can use your fingers to work it into the flour.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the coconut milk, the egg, and the lime zest. Add to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula to combine. Turn the dough out to a floured work surface. Lightly flour your hands and work the dough until it comes together into a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc about 9 inches in diameter. use a dough cutter to cut the disc into 8 even wedges.

Or, if you have a scone pan, spoon it into the wedges evenly.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges. Wait about ten minutes and then move the warm scones to a cooling rack.

COCONUT RICE

One of the BEST dinners I have made.  I REALLY enjoyed this. The recipe comes from The Domestic Geek

I did my recipe a bit different due to what I had in my house and my tastes.  Next time I would love to add some cilantro.

All of it lip smacking goodness!

Yup, made it again.  This time with mangoes.  So good!

COCONUT RICE

1 cup rice
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon avocado oil (may be needed)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup pineapple, chopped
2 green onions, chopped thinly
2 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger, grated
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 package mock crap chunks.

Cook the rice as normal but instead of adding just water, add half coconut milk and half water.

While the rice is cooking.  Cook mock crab chunks in butter.  Set aside when warmed.  In that same pan, cook bell peppers until tender.  Add in some oil if needed. Add in pineapple, heat until warmed through.  Add in garlic and ginger and heat until fragrant.  Add in the cooked rice.  Add in tamari and sriracha.    Sprinle with chopped green onions.

Coconut Cream Pie

 

BEST. PIE. EVER.

Very creamy, very tasty, very good, every minute of it. So coconutty! Is that a word?  If it isn't it should be. I wish I had a better picture of it to convey how amazing it was.  Trust me it was delicious.

The original recipe came from Allrecipes and then was modified at Bunny's Warm Oven.  She had the genious idea to use conut milk and half and half combined instead of pure half and half.  Talk about coconutty!


Coconut Cream Pie

One nine inch pie crust baked and ready
1 (13.5 fl oz) can Coconut milk
Half and half - enough to make 3 cups combined with the coconut milk
4 egg yolks, beaten slightly
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

Pour coconut milk into measuring cup.  Pour half and half into that same cup until you have reached the 3 cup mark. Pour the mixture into a heavy saucepan and mix in the eggs, sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Whisk to combine.  Turn on heat at about the mid level mark. Whisk away until your arms falls off.  It will begin to thicken.  Keep whisking.  When you see it thicken, keep on stirring for one minute more.  You know it is thickening when it leaves a film on the back of a wooden spoon.  You run your finger through it and the finger mark stays.

Pour mixture into previously baked crust.

I am drooling just thinking of this pie.

I scraped mine off the crust so I can't tell you about the crust.  I will say that everyone said it really went with the texture and taste of the filling.  Funny thing is, I even put some coconut vodka in the crust. I just happen to have a little bottle of it, I thought now isn't this fitting.

My mother tells me that her mother, my grandmother use to put vodka in a lot of baked goods.  I do like it in my pie crust and when I make ice cream.  Just a tablespoon.

Jamaican Coat of Arms

These flavors dance together so nicely. Jamaican Coat of Arms is super quick, delicious and nutritious. Yes, I know you see chick peas in mine.  I had some frozen beans, a mix of kidney beans and chick peas so that is what I used this time.  I have made this before without the chick peas as well.

Last time I made it I used some hot peppers.  The dish is on the sweet side because of the coconut milk. I like hot- sweet- salty.

Jamaican Coat of Arms

a can of kidney beans
a can of coconut milk
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
some add allspice- totally up to you 1/4 teaspoon would do yah

In a sauce pan combine all the ingredients except green onion and heat over a medium high flame.  Torn down so that it simmers for about 20 minutes..  Serve over rice.  Garnish with green onion.