My three favourite words. They involve parties, sugar and gifts! It’s a no brainer!
But over the last month or so my zest for baking has been waning. Life has been busy, as it always is this time of year and with the mercury hovering around 35C, the last thing I wanted to do was crank up the oven. But something was missing.
Then the humidity finally broke and we got some cooler weather again—it felt more like fall than the end of Spring—and along with the change, my baking stoke returned. It returned just in the lead up to my birthday. The timing was perfect. I decided that this year, my 36th, was the perfect year to host a Birthday Baking Bash!
Invite friends over, stock the fridge with champagne and bake like I’ve never baked before.
As it turned out, while I had made plans for the bash during the cool snap, the closer it got, the higher the temperature began to climb. And climb. And climb.
But I had already set the intention for this new year and climate be damned! I was going to bake the tallest, most butter, sugar and egg-laden cake than anyone had ever seen.
After much back and forth I decided on Ina Garten’s Coconut Cake. Mum has made it a few times with amazing results—except as cupcakes, oh my!—and this time, it was going to be made into a towering white fluffy monstrosity.
A pound of cream cheese and close to two pounds of butter later, my coconut baby was born. As heavy as she was, she rose like a champ. So much so that I started to worry about just how high this cake would be.
After a night’s rest I tackled the cream cheese butter frosting.
First thing in the morning, when it was already 30C. Oh boy.
Between the frosting and the shredded coconut, I was able to fashion quite a respectable spackle to keep the cakes from sliding off each other and onto the floor. Things were looking up! I carefully slid her into the fridge and left the house.
Then I prayed.
And prayed.
And prayed some more.
Three hours later, I came back and she was set like a pro. Don’t dry out, don’t dry out…
Success! Now in order to officially call this a bash, I had to round out the sweet offerings. I quickly whipped up Donna Hay’s Raspberry Friands (recipe link coming soon!) , Mum supplied the (gluten free) Rice Krispies Treats, Martha Stewart’s Cranberry Pistachio biscotti and Toblerone shortbread cookies. Ally came with (gluten and dairy-free) brownies. YUM.
So here I am, another year older, wiser and…heavier. But it was worth it just for the bliss of baking the goodies, and for the friends and family who gobbled it all up with me, with no reservations about how many inches the whole event would add to their thighs, hips and bellies. The mark of true friends in my book.
Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup milk
- 4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
For the frosting:
- 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted **
- 6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut**I only used 1/2-3/4 pound of sugar. At this point it won’t save you many calories, but I find it’s already very sweet-so mix to taste**
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don’t be concerned.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.
Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.
For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until just smooth (don’t whip!).
To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.
Chunky TOBLERONE Shortbread
what you need
make it
HEAT oven to 350°F.
BEAT butter and superfine sugar in large bowl with mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Mix flour and cornstarch. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate.
DROP by heaping tablespoonfuls, 1 inch apart, onto baking sheets.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until lightly browned. Cool 5 min. on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Sprinkle with icing sugar.
kraft kitchens tips
Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place cranberries in a small bowl; add boiling water. Let stand until plump, about 15 minutes. Drain, and set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until combined. Mix in cranberries and pistachios.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each piece into a 16-by-2-inch log, and transfer to prepared baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. With the palm of your hand, flatten logs slightly. Brush beaten egg over surface of the dough logs, and sprinkle generously with sugar.
- Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until logs are slightly firm to touch, about 25 minutes. Transfer logs on parchment paper to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
- Place logs on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut logs crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange slices, cut sides down, on rack. Bake until firm to touch, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven; let biscotti cool completely on rack. Biscotti can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Rice Krispies Treats
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
- – OR –
- 4 cups miniature marshmallows
- 6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal
- Why use Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies®?
Directions
1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.
MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.
Note
-For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
-1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
-Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
-Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container.
-To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Comments (11)
oh my goodness they all look so good! my mouth was watering while reading this!
I’m a huge fan of coconut cake – and yours looks out of this world amazing. Also, I would eat the hell out of that toblerone shortbread.
Thanks Bill. The first time my mum tried the coconut cake, I wasn’t 100% excited–I like coconut, but it’s not my fave. I think I’m liking it more as an adult. But this cake WOW. And tastes better day 2 if you can make it last that long.
That cake!! Oh my…it’s gorgeous!! Actually all of these treats are. YAY you Melanie!! Have you considered opening a bakery? 🙂 I’d like to place an order for each one of these please. Thank you 🙂
Beautiful post!!
Thanks Sarah! You know, I would love to open a bakery, but I’m just not sure I’m ready to put down roots yet. Maybe someday…or maybe something mobile, like dessert delivery…hmmmm
I’m in!!!
Looks like a wonderful assortment of treats! I made three cakes for my last birthday – sometimes you just have to to above and beyond for yourself, right?
That cake looks sooo good.
Thanks! It’s so true. It’s your birthday and you can bake what you want:) I highly suggest you try this cake sometime. In the winter though, so you don’t have to worry about the sliding icing:)
Oh goodness yes. My husband’s birthday is tomorrow and he really wants a cake – I’m just dreading dealing with frosting. Way too humid!
Maybe ice cream cake? Or let the bakery deal with the stress:)
Oh my gosh, this post is a-mazing!! I missed a lot of your summer posts so I’m catching up! I’ve not made Ina’s coconut cake, but I’ve got to make it. Yours looks just beautiful. Looks like it was a very tasty birthday bash. 🙂