By Rose Mary Morgan From Just a Pinch Recipes

Rose Mary’s Notes:

Coconut Cakes is one that is most appreciated in the Southern States & especially the area from which I am from.

A coconut cake was always featured during the Christmas Holiday among the many cakes that mama made.

So I knew it would be greatly appreciated when featured at the Hooker/Ladd Arkansas Community Reunion.

I wanted to make one a bit different from the usual so I came up with this Sour Cream/Cream Cheese Frosting version, using Powdered Sugar instead of Granulated Sugar, & it turned out great.

I topped it with Pineapple slices & Cherries, in keeping with the tropical theme.

Serves:            12 or more depending on portion size

Prep Time:     30 Min

Cook Time:     1 Hr 30 Min

Ingredients

4 1/2 c           white lily all purpose flour

1 lb                 box powdered sugar

8                      large  eggs room temperature

2 tsp               vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

1 Tbsp                        coconut extract

1 Tbsp                        Caribbean rum coconut liqueur or rum extract

2 tsp               pineapple extract

1 Tbsp                        baking powder

1 1/2 c           unsweetened coconut(adding flavor without the sugar)

2 small            boxes cheesecake pudding mix

1 c                   evaporated milk

3                      stick    butter, softened room temperature

CARIBBEAN RUM CREAM CHEESE COCONUT FROSTING

1                      stick butter softened, room temperature

1 lb                 powdered sugar

8 oz                 cream cheese softened

2 tsp               coconut extract

1 tsp               pineapple extract

1-2 Tbsp        evaporated milk, or as desired to reach spreading consistency

1 1/2-2 c        sweetened shredded coconut (enough for sides & generous amount on top)

pineapple slices halved as desired for top of cake

maraschino cherry halves as desired for garnish

2 tsp               Caribbean coconut liqueur

Directions

1 NOTE: PLEASE MAKE SURE THERE IS AT LEAST 1 1/2 -2 INCHES OF SPACE LEFT OVER WHEN FILLING CAKE PAN TO ALLOW FOR CAKE TO RISE. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Use at least a 12 cup cake pan or preferably larger like a 16 cup.

2 If YOU ARE NOT USING WHITE Lily CAKE FLOUR OMIT THE ADDITIONAL 1/2 CUP AND JUST USE 4 CUPS. WHITE Lily IS A winter wheat flour, and is lighter in volume than regular all purpose flour. It does make a difference in the texture of the cake.

3 Mix pudding with flour & Baking powder.

4 Set aside till needed.

5 Cream butter with powdered sugar, & sour cream till creamy and smooth.

6 Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until all have been added.

7 Gradually blend in flour mixture alternately with evaporated milk in 3 increments

8 Combine all of the extract flavorings & Rum in a small bowl and add at once to cake batter, beating well after adding.

9 Now add unsweetened coconut and blend again.

10 Spray cake pan with bakers Joy. Then pour batter into prepared pan, & bake in preheated 325 degree oven approximately 1 1/2 hours or until tooth pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool at least 10 minutes till it pulls away from sides of cake pan then invert onto cooling rack or cake platter. Frost as desired.

11 To Prepare frosting, add softened butter & cream cheese to medium size bowl, & beat to blend together. Then add the powdered sugar, and starting on low speed beat until powdered sugar is blended into butter mixture, then add extracts and beat again. Add evaporated milk 1 tablespoon at a time till spreading consistency is reached. Then frost cake and top both sides and top with shredded coconut. Garnish with pineapple slices, and maraschino cherries as desired.

12 Now frost Cake with this delicious icing and enjoy. Decorate with Pineapples, Cherries and shredded coconut as I did or as desired.

For more on this recipe go to:

http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/caribbean-rum-coconut-pound-cake.html?p=5