Taste: Ms. Pauline's Birthday Cakes

I have an amazing mother and today is her birthday. Growing up she drove us to all our extra curricular classes, and there were many. She came to all our games and matches. She fed us and loved us unconditionally. My mother would do anything for me, but in my heart I know she doesn't love me most….though I am pretty sure I'd make her top three. She loves ice cream first. We know and accept this. Don't even try to compete. I think I am in a tie for second with coconut cake. Do I have siblings? Yes and unfortunately my brother's coming in fourth, maybe fifth. Thrift shopping might edge him out. We are both definitely in her top 5.

As her birthday dessert, and to break the tie, I have made three takes on coconut cake, vaulting me to a solid second place in my mother’s heart by becoming one with coconut cake.

Try any or all of these perfect for a dinner party, birthday, book club, bridal shower or just because treats.

Traditional coconut cake with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan 1 1/3 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Fine sea salt 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar 10 oz. sweetened cream of coconut 4 large eggs, separated 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk 2 cups toasted sweetened shredded coconut Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) diameter cake pans with 2-inch high sides or prepare cupcake pans. Pour the flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Use a whisk or fork to stir together. This will get rid of any lumps and pseudo-sift the ingredients. In a separate large bowl, beat the sugar, butter until pale yellow and fluffy. Next add sweetened cream of coconut and beat until it resembles whipped cream. Mix in egg yolks one at a time then add vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir to incorporate all the ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, beat in 1/2 the dry ingredients, followed by the buttermilk, and the remaining dry ingredients, scraping down the sides in between each addition, until just blended. Using clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites in a clean large bowl until the egg whites are stiff but not dry. In batches, fold the beaten egg whites into the batter, being careful not to deflate the whites. Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Spread the batter with an offset spatula to level the batter in the pan. If make cupcakes fill the tins 3/4 full. Bake the cakes until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes for a full cake, 25 min for cupcakes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack, about 10 minutes. Gently run a small sharp knife around the pan sides to loosen the cakes. With a pastry brush, gently brush any crumbs from the cooled cake layers. If the cake baked up with a slight dome in the center, you can trim it to even it out or just remember to place that cake layer dome-side down on the cake plate. Place 1 cake layer, flat-side up, on a cake plate. Spread 1 heaping cup Cream Cheese Frosting over the cake layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border of cake around the edge. Top with the second cake layer, flat-side up. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle toasted coconut over the cake, gently pressing into the sides to adhere. Cream cheese frosting

Ingedients

16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature

2 cups confectioners'(powdered) sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

Gradually add butter, and continue beating until well blended.

Add in confectioners' sugar, and continue beating until smooth and fluffy.

Add vanilla, and stir to combine.

Naked pineapple coconut cake (shown above)- coconut cake layered with sliced pineapple and cream cheese frosting

Spiced pineapple rings for naked cake recipe

Ingredients

1 pineapple

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

Directions

Peel a ripe pineapple and slice into 1/4 to 1/2 rounds.

Using a cookie or biscuit cutter the same size as your miniature cakes cut pineapple disks out of those rounds.

Take a knife or smaller cutter and cut the core out of the pineapple.

In a sauce pot combine 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and pinch of nutmeg.

Add pineapple and simmer until tender adding water as necessary.

Once pineapple disks are tender set aside to cool.

flavor bomb coconut cupcake coconut cupcake with earl grey and blueberry cream cheese filling

Blueberry Earl Grey cream cheese filling for cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cup blueberries

1/4 cup water

1/8 cup sugar

1 Earl Grey tea bag

Directions

Simmer one cup of blueberries in 1/4 water and 1/8 cup sugar until they just start to burst.

Add one tea bag of earl grey tea and simmer for 3 min.

Remove tea bag and continue to simmer until mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Let cool until room temperature.

Add blueberry mixture to cream cheese frosting until desired consistency is found.

Use to stuff your pre-cooked coconut cupcakes.

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