Coconut Tres Lèche with a Kick

 

I had never heard of a Tres Leche cake until about 15 years ago when my mother and I were dining out, and she ordered it for dessert by mistake. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of it until she tasted it, and then it became one of her favorites. Naturally, because I wanted to please her, I found a recipe and started making it on my own. It’s now one of my favorites as well. I particularly like this one because it employs the use of coconut milk in place of the evaporated milk, coconut itself, and rounding out the trio, coconut rum! This is a wonderfully refreshing cake to enjoy during the summer. It’s light, delicious, and makes you feel as though you are on a tropical getaway.Coconut Tres Lèche with a Kick

 Cake:

1 (15.25- oz) box white cake mix

Ingredients on box to make the cake (oil, egg whites, water)

1 t. coconut extract

½ t. clear vanilla flavoring

½ c. flaked coconut

1 (14- oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (15- oz can) Cream of Coconut*

¼ c. coconut rum

 Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 c. powdered sugar

1½ c. heavy whipping cream

2 T. coconut rum

½ t. coconut extract

½ c. flaked coconut to garnish, optional

 Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9”x13” baking dish with Baker’s Joy; set aside.

Prepare cake according to package directions, adding in 1 teaspoon coconut extract and ½ teaspoon clear vanilla flavorings with the liquids. Fold ½ cup flaked coconut into batter and then spread into prepared pan.

 Bake according to package directions. Cake is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

 While cake is baking stir together sweetened condensed milk and Cream of Coconut; set aside. When cake is done, poke holes evenly all over the top using a large fork while it’s still hot. Immediately pour sweetened condensed milk mixture evenly on top of cake, and allow cake to cool completely.

 To prepare frosting: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment mix cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Add in heavy cream and extract and mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread frosting onto cooled cake and garnish with flaked coconut.

 Chill cake for at least 2 hours before serving. Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

 * If you used 2 tablespoons of cream of coconut out of this can to make yourself a delicious Nashville Bushwhacker, that’s not a problem. It works just as well with 13 ounces as it does with 15 ounces.

 

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Le Valentin Traite pour Deux - Chocolate Cupcakes

A cheery little pair of sweets for two.

A number of years ago, my mother and I hosted a shower for the young woman who was soon to become our granddaughter- and daughter-in-law, respectively. I'd learned from my son that her favorite dessert was chocolate cake, so in the weeks preceding the shower I tested close to a dozen different recipes, popping samples into the mouths of anyone who happened to walk in the door.  She was, after all, going to be family, so I wanted nothing but the best.  I ended up making individual chocolate cakes, plumped with a chocolate filling, and topped with a chocolate glaze that were, eh, okay.  For all of the work, I ended up with rather disappointing results.

A month or so after this, company unexpectedly descended upon us late one evening -- more chocolate fans (are there non-chocolate fans?) -- and I was at a complete loss as to what to do.  So, when everyone was asleep, I reached for the box of Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix and made cupcakes, then grabbed The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook for the frosting, that I piped on in a delicate pattern. Naturally I destroyed the box so thoroughly no CSI would have been able to identify it, but left the cookbook conspicuously on the counter.  I got raves!  Indeed the cupcakes were delicious.  It seems, then, that a cupcake may just be more about the icing than it is about the cake, not that the cake itself wasn't very moist and delicious.  So for this Valentine's Day ending to our romantic dîner pour deux, I went with the boxed cake (Duncan Hines Swiss Chocolate this time) and the homemade frosting, topping the cupcakes with some Valentine decorations that I scored on sale.  Cute, no?

I'm a chocolate cake/vanilla frosting girl, but if you prefer chocolate icing to vanilla, I've provided you with recipes for both along with the recommendation that you get this book (the lemon cupcakes and lavender cupcakes are delicious and worth the price alone), or the darling kit and little cupcake book they offer, or the great notecards. Great gifts at any time of the year for yourself, or that special person in your life, or hey, as a not-so-subtle hint to someone to make you some cupcakes!  The notecards, I find, are just perfect to use for writing Thank You notes.  I've often received a "Thank You" note back for having sent the card!

VANILLA FROSTING
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
5 T. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 T. whole milk
A couple of drops pure vanilla extract

Beat powdered sugar and butter together in electric mixer with paddle attachment on medium slow speed until mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn mixer down to slower speed. Mix milk and vanilla in another bowl, then add to butter mixture a couple of teaspoons at a time. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.  (I tinted half of mine with red gel food coloring.) 

CHOCOLATE FROSTING
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
6 1/2 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

2 T. whole milk

Beat powdered sugar, but and cocoa together in electric mixer with paddle attachment on medium slow speed until mixture comes together and is well mixed.  Turn mixer down to a slower speed. Add milk to the butter mixture a couple of teaspoons at a time. Once all milk has been incorporated, turn mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until frosting is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

Some sweet Valentines received from friends and family. Thanks everyone! I love getting fun things in the mail, particularly when they're handmade as some of these were.

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