No Time 2 Cook Recipe of the Week: Chantilly Coconut Cake

When I think of Easter Brunch I think of an elegant Coconut Cake. I also remember my mama spending half a day in the kitchen making the cake, cooking the divinity icing, and sprinkling it with freshly grated coconut. AND, if the weather wasn’t just right, the icing would fail and she would have to start all over. That’s when my sister and I cleared out leaving plenty of room between us and Mama’s sad cake and disposition.
No need to worry about failed icing with this no-hassle recipe. The cake is my pound cake and the icing is toasted coconut blended with my Chantilly Cream. (Or, if you really want easy, use Cool Whip.) You can bake it in a 9×13 pan served in squares, or spend a little more time and make a layer cake.  Just remember that this cake must be kept refrigerated.

Easter blessings to one and all!

Ingredients

Pound Cake

• 3 sticks unsalted butter
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 T pure vanilla
• 3 c. all purpose flour, sifted
• ¼ t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt

Coconut Icing

• 7-14 oz. coconut, toasted (amount of coconut depends on your preference. You can buy coconut on the baking aisle, but Mama always preferred to use fresh grated coconut or the frozen variety)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 t. pure vanilla

Or, replace the Chantilly Cream with 8-16 oz. Cool Whip.

Instructions

Cake

In an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Gradually add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Then, add eggs one at a time and vanilla.  Beat until creamy.  Sift flour and combine with soda & salt.  Add flour slowly with mixer on low.  When thoroughly mixed in, turn the mixer up and beat about 2 minutes.  Spray 9X13 pan with cooking spray.  If making a layer cake, grease and flour 3-8″ round pans so the cake will release completely from pan.  Spread batter evenly into pan(s).  Bake at 325 degrees for 30-45 minutes.  The cake is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool completely before icing.

Icing

Spread coconut on cookie sheet. Broil under oven broiler for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned. Allow cooling completely

Chantilly Cream

Chill a stainless bowl and wire whisk beaters ahead of prep. Add all ingredients and beat until stiff and mixture forms peaks. Take care not to overbeat or mixture will become grainy when whipping cream begins to turn to butter. If this happens, you’ll have to discard and start over.  Stir in toasted coconut and ice cooled cake.
Mix cooled toasted coconut with Chantilly Cream or Cool Whip and ice cake.    Refrigerate before serving and refrigerate leftover cake.

In 2005, Karen Kurr began selling her Cajun and southern dishes at local farmers markets. Today, her frozen meals are still made from scratch in Oxford, Mississippi, and sold in 200 Kroger stores, independent retailers and online. Karen’s passion is simple: to help bring families back to the dinner table. Her products make dinner easier when you are short on time. Karen continues to share family recipes with loyal customers on hottytoddy.com, the NoTime2Cook website and on social media.
For questions or comments, email hottytoddynews@gmail.com.