Coconut Cake

Happy Canada Day!

Blog posts are backing up after the arrival of the new puppy and my bout of laryngitis, which seemed not only to affect my voice, but my writing voice as well.  Now it is the start of a new day, new week, and new month.  The sun is shining, I'm sitting on the deck with my coffee and fur babies, everyone else is still asleep and my fingers are finally feeling chatty.

I've been on a coconut kick lately.  When I was young, coconut was one of my favourite flavours, when I got to pick out a candy bar, I almost always got the one with the chewy, white coconut filling.  I haven't used it much at all lately and I think the smell of the Tropical Traditions coconut oil I've been reviewing brought back my love for it.

I initially wanted this to be a loaf, but the measurements and procedure definitely make it more of a cake in my eyes.  It's so tender and full of coconut... while I left it as is, it would be over-the-top with a glaze or a bit of frosting and then topped with even more coconut.  It's fresh local strawberry season here and this cake is a wonderful stand-in for a strawberry shortcake.  

Coconut Cake

Adapted from Taste of Home

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup 2% milk

1 1/4 cups flaked coconut (I used rainbow, because it's so happy & I love it)

In stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter well.  Add in the sugar and continue mixing until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time and add in vanilla.  In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and add to the mixer (on lowest speed) slowly and alternately with the milk, mixing well between each addition.  Finally, add in the coconut and stir to combine.

Scrape mixture into a greased and floured (I parchment paper'd the bottom as well) 9 x 5" loaf pan and smooth the top.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour, or until tested done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!