Cooking The Amazing: treats

Showing posts with label treats. Show all posts

January 1, 2011

HOMEMADE OREO COOKIES

There was a time in my life when I could eat an entire package of Oreo Cookies, Double-Stuff Oreos at that, and not even feel guilty about the gluttony that had taken place. I would start off with four or five Cookies and before I knew it, they would all be gone... along with a quart of Milk. Ok, so that time in my life was just last week but I love Oreos! What is it about that Chocolate Cookie sandwiching tasty Cream that we all love so much? I thought if I could make my own Homemade Oreo Cookies I just may find the answer and satisfy a sweet tooth I was having all in one. What resulted was a more adult tasting Cookie that was amazing in flavor with it's ever so deep dark Chocolate Cookies on the outside and a sweet velvety Vanilla Cream center. I started off eating just a few and before I knew it I had eaten them all. When you are Cooking The Amazing nostalgia only makes you more hungry.

Here is the recipe.

CHOCOLATE COOKIE

1 1/2 c All Purpose Flour
1 c Cocoa Powder
1 1/4 c Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 t Sea Salt, fine grain
1/2 t Baking Soda
1 1/2 Sticks of Butter, softened
1 Large Egg
1 t Vanilla Extract

VANILLA CREAM FILLING

12 oz White Chocolate
6 0z Heavy Whipping Cream
1 t Vanilla Extract
1 c Powdered Sugar

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a KitchenAid, mix the Flour, Cocoa Powder, Brown Sugar, Salt and Baking Soda until well mixed. Use the best Cocoa Powder you can afford because it is the dominate flavor. But at the same time there is no need to fly to Paris to get a can of La Maison Du Chocolat Cocoa... after all, these are just Oreo Cookies wannabes! Just use a good quality Cocoa because you want this to taste amazing, right? (Ghirardelli is a good one.)

2. Slightly beat the Egg. On low speed, mix in the softened Butter and add the beaten Egg then the Vanilla Extract. The dough will look dry and grainy at first then will quickly come together to form a ball. Mix for about 2 minutes until the ball stays together.

3. Dump out the dough ball onto a large sheet of parchment paper or wax paper.

4. Using your hands, form the ball into a long round log shape about 12 inches long and 2 1/2 inches thick. Roll it back and forth and even it up with your hands on the ends. It will look like a giant Tootsie Roll and kind of ...well, it looks very creepy... but secretly delicious!

5. Use the parchment paper or wax paper and roll the log up smoothing it out and making it more round as you go with your hands. Then twist the ends tight and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours until firm.

6. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees 20 minutes before you take the log out of the refrigerator. Spray a Cookie sheet with Vegetable Oil Spray (like Pam) or line a Cookie sheet with parchment paper to be ready for your Cookies. Remove the log of Dough and unroll the parchment paper. Cut thin 1/8 th inch slices of Dough and space them 1 inch apart on the Cookie sheet.

7. Bake at 350 degrees in the center of your oven for 12-13 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to sit on the Cookie sheet for 4 minutes before you touch them or they will fall apart. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely for 1 hour so they crisp up.

8. While the Cookies cool make the Vanilla Cream Filling. Place 12 oz of White Chocolate Chips or chopped White Chocolate from a bar into a large bowl. Heat Heavy Whipping Cream to a boil over medium heat and remove it as it begins to boil and pour the hot Cream over the White Chocolate, pushing as much White Chocolate below the surface of hot Cream as you can.

TIP: For Mint Cream Chocolate Cookies: Add a 1-2 teaspoons of Mint Extract for a Mint filling when you add the Vanilla in step 10.

9. Allow it to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes so the White Chocolate can melt. Then whisk until the Cream and White Chocolate come together. It will have a pearly color to it and will be thin and liquidy at first.

10. Allow the mixture to sit on the counter for 1 1/2 hours to thicken. After it has thickened whisk in the Powdered Sugar and Vanilla Extract. It will be thick and spreadable.

11. Place it in a piping bag with a small round tip or use a spoon and put about 1 teaspoon of the filling on the center of a Cookie then top it with another Cookie pressing down gently so the filling spreads to the edges but not out the sides. Store in a cool place in an air tight container. These are best eaten the same day and after they have set up for 1-2 hours for the crispest Cookies and best firmness and flavor of the Cream Filling. The Cookies may get soft when stored but are still good.

December 18, 2010

BANANA PINEAPPLE FOSTER

I must admit I have never had the real Banana's Foster, even after several visits to New Orleans. I came up with this recipe many years ago when I was in Kenya and cooking dessert for a group of people using what was at hand. I had a huge sweet and juicy Pineapple. (If you have never had a fresh Pineapple picked right from the plant grown along the Equator, you are missing one of Nature's most incredible treats!) And plenty of Bananas. I thought I was inventing a new dessert having never heard of Banana's Foster at the time. I didn't have Rum or Vanilla Ice Cream in Africa but I remember the sauce being thick, luscious and amazing and all of us licking our plates clean.  Real Banana's Foster does not have Pineapple in it so this recipe is with a tropical twist.  The aroma, as it cooks, becomes intoxicating as the Brown Sugar and Butter melt laced with Cinnamon. Try serving this over French Toast or Waffles for breakfast on a special weekend morning. You don't have to be in Africa to be Cooking The Amazing, just the desire to eat an amazing dessert.

Here is the recipe.

        1     Stick Butter
1 3/4 c Dark Brown Sugar
        1 t Vanilla Extract
        1 t   Cinnamon
        1 pinch Sea Salt, fine grain
    1/4 c Orange Juice
1 1/2 c Pineapple Chunks
        3     Bananas, sliced thick
        3 T Rum (optional)
Vanilla or Coconut Ice Cream

1. You can use canned Pineapple for this recipe but a fresh Golden Pineapple tastes 100% better. If using fresh, remove the outer skin and eyes and cut Pineapple into large 1 inch chunks. Drain from the juice if canned and measure out 1 1/2 cups. Set aside. Here's how to peel a Pineapple safely.

Place the Pineapple on it's side and slice off bottom to make a flat surface to stand it on. Then cut off the top prickly leaves.

Stand the Pineapple up and carve the outer skin down all around. Remove any "eyes" that are left.

Cut the Pineapple in half down the middle (longways) so that the core is exposed.

Split each half into half again and then cut out the hard inner core and discard it.

Cut each piece into inch chunks and place in a bowl to collect any juices.

2. Over medium heat in a large pan, melt the Butter and Dark Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Sea Salt, and Orange juice. Stir well until the Brown Sugar is melted, about 4 minutes. If using Rum, add it now and simmer 1 minute. Watch for flames in your pan!

3. Add the Pineapple chunks and any juice that collected in the bowl and simmer for 4 minutes. The Sauce may begin to boil. Stir well.

4. Slice the Bananas thick and fold them into the sauce. Carefully stir them in so they do not break up and simmer for just 2 minutes then remove from the heat and serve over Ice Cream or Pound Cake immediately. Cooking the Bananas too long will make them mushy.

Try Banana Pineapple Foster over my Brioche French Toast for an amazing breakfast instead of Berries or for an Amazing dessert serve hot over my fresh baked Banana Bread Muffins!

March 16, 2010

OATMEAL COOKIES

It is both chewy and crispy at the same time with a hint of Cinnamon and Vanilla and sweetened with Dark Brown Sugar. The Oatmeal Cookie is another classic American Cookie which can be spiced up with plump Raisins or made super indulgent with rich Chocolate Chips. Eat one or two and when no one is looking eat another because you are Cooking The amazing.

Here is the recipe.

2 Sticks Butter, softened, unsalted
1 1/4 c Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1 c Sugar
1 t Salt (fine Sea Salt preferably)
2 1/2 t Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs, large (room temp.)
2 c All Purpose Flour
2 t Baking Soda
2 1/2 t Cinnamon
3 c Oats, old fashioned (not quick/instant oats)
OPTIONAL: 1 c Raisins or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or toasted Pecans, chopped or Butterscotch Chips.

*This makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Approx. Cooking and Prep Time: 1 hour plus cooling

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 cookie sheets with non-stick Cooking Spray.

2. If you are using Raisins: Measure 1 c of Raisins into a small bowl and pour about 3/4 cup of Orange Juice over them and stir. Allow to soak and plump up while preparing the batter. Drain well before adding to batter.

3. In a large bowl cream Butter, Dark Brown Sugar, Sugar, Salt, and Vanilla together until well mixed.

4. Add the Eggs one at a time and mix well.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk Flour, Baking Soda, and Cinnamon until well combined.

6. Slowly add the Flour mixture to the creamed Butter mix and mix well without over mixing.

7. Add the Oats one cup at a time and mix until just incorporated. The batter will be dense and thick.

8. If adding Nuts or Chocolate Chips fold them in last. If adding Raisins, drain them from the Orange Juice well then fold them in.

9. Form 2 inch round flattened disks about 1/2 inch thick with your hands and place them 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake 9-13 minutes in the center of your oven at 350 degrees until the edges are lightly browned and centers are still pale. Half way through baking rotate your cookie sheet for even baking and bake just one sheet at a time for best results. Use a dark cookie sheet if possible.

10. Remove from the oven and allow to rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing with a spatula to cooling rack.

11. Respray the cooled cookie sheet between batches with non stick Cooking Spray. These will stick if the pan is not well oiled.

12. Allow to cool completely and store in an air tight container.

COOKIE BAKING SUCCESS TIPS:

1. Use high quality ingredients. Better made flours (like King Arthur Brand, Gold Medal), Better Vanilla Extracts (Like Nielsen Massey), Better Chocolate (Like Ghirardeli, Dove, Scharffen Berger). Fake Vanilla makes a fake tasting cookie. Use a box mix if you want the fake flavor taste. Bad Chocolate tastes like bad Chocolate. Period. A good brand of Flour ensures a uniform flour that is consistent every time. Generic Flour companies in the US often use the lowest quality wheat from different sources.

2. Use fine Sea Salt. Morton Table salt with iodine is the last thing you want to use in baking. It has a very chemical after taste and just a small amount is noticeable. I use Hain Brand Sea Salt without iodine. Don't buy expensive Sea Salts for baking. Just get a good real Sea Salt. Do not use large grain Kosher salts. They do not dissolve as well leaving salt pockets.

3. Use the Freshest Eggs and Butter. Old Butter and Eggs makes cookies that taste rancid. Room temperature Eggs and Butter for cookies is best.

4. Sugar, brown and white, should be fresh. Use the freshest, softest Brown Sugar. It makes a huge difference. Brands of sugar are not as important. Sugar manufacturing in the US is fairly consistent brand to brand so a generic brand is just fine.

5. After you have added the Flour to a recipe, do not over mix but still be sure to mix the ingredients well to form a uniform batter. Over mixing makes a tough textured cookie because over mixed flour produces gluten leading to a bread like texture. As soon as the Flour is no longer seen, it is well mixed.

6. Form uniform sized dough balls/disc so the Cookies bake all the same. This eliminates some being over cooked and some being raw in the center.

7. Use a dark colored cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the center of your oven on the center rack and rotate the cookie sheet around 1/2 way through baking. This keeps the cookies evenly baked if you have a hotter spot in your oven. Bake one sheet at a time. Keep the oven door closed as much as possible so the temperature stays consistent.

8. Allow the Cookies to rest for 3 mins. on the cookies sheet once removed from the oven. The Cookies are still cooking and need to set up before removing.

9. Place on a baking rack to cool completely before storing in an air tight container. Minimum 2 hours cooling time.

10. Make sure the cookie sheet cools completely before adding another batch of dough.

March 12, 2010

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

You will need a tall cold glass of milk when you eat these buttery, rich Chocolate Chip Cookies. These Cookies are chewy and soft on the inside and lightly crisp on the outside. Use the best Chocolate Chips you can find for the best taste. They will beg to be dunked in milk and are so good you will hide them from your kids because you are Cooking The Amazing.

Here is the recipe.

3 Sticks of Butter, softened, unsalted

1 1/2 c Sugar

1 1/2 c Dark Brown Sugar, packed

1 t Salt, (preferably fine sea salt)

2 Eggs, large (room temp.)

3 1/2 t Vanilla Extract

4 c All Purpose Flour

1 t Baking Soda

18 oz Chocolate Chips (1 1/2 bags of the 12 oz size)

Optional: 1 c Walnuts, Pecans, or Macadamias chopped and toasted

Total Prep and Cook Time: approx. 1 hr to make several batches plus cooling time.

*Makes about 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray a cookie sheet with Non Stick Vegetable Spray (Like Pam) very lightly. Use an dark pan if possible.

3. This is a thick, dry dough that works best with a Kitchen Aid stand mixer to mix the dough well. You can use a hand held mixer if it can handle thick dough. Or mix by hand with a very sturdy spoon or use your hands like a bread dough.

4. Cream the Butter, Sugar, Dark Brown Sugar and Salt well. The Dark Brown Sugar is an important flavor component. You can substitute Light Brown Sugar but it will not taste as good. Make sure the Brown Sugar is fresh and very soft. Old hard Brown Sugar will affect the texture of your cookie.

5. Add the Eggs one by one to the mixture then the Vanilla Extract and mix well.

6. In a separate medium bowl mix the Flour with the Baking Soda well to ensure even rising.

7. Slowly add the Flour and Baking Soda mixture by the cup to the batter mixture. Mix until the flour is just incorporated then add the Chocolate Chips and mix until just distributed. Do not over mix. *Add 1 cup of toasted Nuts and/or 1 cup of Options below now with the Chocolate Chips, if using. Expect the dough to look dry and crumbly at times, this is normal.

TIP: Dry toast the chopped nuts on medium heat in a pan on the stove top for the best flavor. Simply add the chopped nuts to a dry pan on medium heat turning them frequently until they begin to brown. They will burn easy so watch closely. This makes a huge difference in the flavor of the cookie. Allow to cool some before adding to batter, about 2 mins.

TIP: Optional additions to add are Dried Cherries, Dried Cranberries, other Chip flavors like Butterscotch, Peanut Butter, White Chocolate, or Caramel Chunks or your favorite Nuts.

8. Form small balls of dough with your hands and flatten into 2 inch across and about 1/2 inch thick round discs on the cookie sheet. Space about 3 inches apart.

9. Bake on the center rack of your oven for 9-11 minutes at 350 degrees until the edges are a very light brown all around the cookie. Half way through cooking rotate your pan around for even baking. Cook only one sheet of cookies at a time. The centers may not look fully cooked when you remove them from the oven, this is what you want for a soft chewy Cookie. It will look uncooked but once it cools and sets it will firm up. Let them rest for 4 minutes on the cookie sheet (they are still cooking while on the hot pan) then remove with a spatula to a cooling rack. They need to set up before removing. The cookies taste best after cooling for about 2 hours. Store in an air tight container once completely cooled.

TIP: For a crispier cookie bake for about 12-14 minutes until the center is lightly browned.

COOKIE BAKING SUCCESS TIPS:

1. Use high quality ingredients. Better made flours (like King Arthur Brand, Gold Medal), Better Vanilla Extracts (Like Nielsen Massey), Better Chocolate (Like Ghirardeli, Dove, Scharffen Berger). Fake Vanilla makes a fake tasting cookie. Use a box mix if you want the fake flavor taste. Bad Chocolate tastes like bad Chocolate. Period. A good brand of Flour ensures a uniform flour that is consistent every time. Generic Flour companies in the US often use the lowest quality wheat from different sources. It does make a difference.

2. Use fine Sea Salt. Morton Table salt with iodine is the last thing you want to use in baking. It has a very chemical after taste and just a small amount is noticeable. I use Hain Brand Sea Salt which is $1.50. Don't buy expensive Sea Salt for baking (like fleur de sel) unless it is used as a finishing salt. Just get a good real Sea Salt. Do not use large grain Kosher salts. They do not dissolve as well leaving salt pockets.

3. Use the Freshest Eggs and Butter. Old Butter and Eggs make cookies taste rancid. Room temperature Eggs and Butter works best.

4. Sugar, brown and white, should be fresh. Use the freshest, softest Brown Sugar. It makes a huge difference. Brands of sugar are not as important. Sugar manufacturing in the US is fairly consistent brand to brand so a generic brand is just fine.

6. Form uniform sized dough balls/disc so the Cookies bake all the same. This eliminates some being over cooked and some being raw in the center.

7. Use a dark colored cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the center of your oven on the center rack and rotate the cookie sheet around 1/2 way through baking. This keeps the cookies evenly baked if you have a hotter spot in your oven. Bake one sheet at a time. Keep the oven door closed as much as possible so the temperature stays consistent.

8. Allow the Cookies to rest for 4 mins. on the cookies sheet once removed from the oven. The Cookies are still cooking and need to set up before removing.

9. Place on a baking rack to cool completely before storing in an air tight container. Minimum 2 hours cooling time.

10. Make sure the cookie sheet cools completely before adding another batch of dough.

January 7, 2010

CARROT CAKE

CARROT CAKE

Classic Carrot Cake with hints of cinnamon and clove made super moist by pineapple as a secret ingredient. Carrot Cake is fast becoming the most requested cake for wedding cakes because of it's tasty universal appeal. And with Carrots as the main ingredient you could even say it is healthy. Well, almost. When you ice it with my amazing Cream Cheese Icing you will have an incredible combination of flavors that are both classic and proof you are Cooking The Amazing.

Here is the recipe.

2 c All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 c Sugar

1/4 c Brown Sugar, packed (dark or light)

1 1/2 t Baking Soda

1 t Baking Powder

1 t Salt

4 t Cinnamon

1/4 t Nutmeg

1/8 t Ground Cloves

1/4 t Ground Ginger

2 c Finely Grated Peeled Carrot, packed

1 c Coconut Flakes, sweetened

1 c Raisins (Optional)

1 can 8 oz Crushed Pineapple, drained

(reserve 1 T of drained Pineapple juice)

1 1/2 c Walnuts or Pecans, chopped small pieces

1 c Vegetable Oil

2 t Vanilla Extract
1 T Finely Grated Fresh Orange Zest
3 Eggs, extra large

Pam non stick Cooking Spray

Total Prep and cooking time approx. 1 1/4 hr.

Total Cooling and Icing time approx. 2 1/2 hrs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare two 9 inch cake pans by spraying with Vegetable non-stick spray (like Pam Spray) and line with a parchment paper round on the bottom then spray the top of the parchment. Or spray a 9 X 13 baking pan with Vegetable non stick spray (like Pam Spray) or use 20 jumbo Cupcake liners in a Muffin tin without using Pam spray.
In a large bowl whisk well: Flour, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, all Spices.
Peel then Grate approx 5-6 medium Carrots to yield 2 cups packed. Grate Carrots finely to no more than 1/4 inch pieces. Or process in a food processor until finely grated but not mush. It is important that you peel the Carrots before grating. You do not want the tough skins in your cake.
In a medium bowl or KitchenAid bowl add Carrots, Grated Fresh Orange Peel, Drained Pineapple, Raisins (optional), Coconut Flakes, Walnuts or Pecans and mix well with a big spoon.
To this mixture add the Vegetable Oil, Vanilla Extract and Eggs one at a time mixing in well then add 1 T of the reserved Pineapple juice and mix well. Scrape down bowl often.
Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid for about 1 minute until well mixed. Do not over mix.
Pour divided into prepared (as above) 9 inch cake pans, or 9 X 13 pan, or approximately 20 Cupcake liners filled 3/4 full or a 9 X 13 baking sheet sprayed with Pam but no parchment paper needed.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 mins for Cupcakes, 35-40 minutes for 9 inch layer cakes and 45-50 mins for 9 X 13 in the center of the oven. Half way through cooking rotate the pans for even cooking. A toothpick will come out clean when done. All ovens vary in timing so check at lowest time first and if not done put back in oven and recheck in 2- 3 minutes.
Allow to cool completely in pan for 1-2 hrs. before removing to ice with Cream Cheese Icing. Recipe below. Place 1/4 of icing between the two layers and when placing the top cake layer on, put the flat side of the cake (the bottom when it was in the cake pan) facing up for a flat top which makes a more attractive cake and easier to ice.

This cake is super moist and fragile so handle with care when removing from pans and icing. If it breaks the icing will hide any imperfections.

TIP: Add 1 cup of golden raisins or chopped dried cherries or apricots for a twist on tradition.

TIP: Black Walnuts will give this cake the most flavor. Sprinkle the top of the cake with Walnuts or Pecans as a tasty garnish.

CREAM CHEESE ICING

Here is the recipe.

2 sticks Butter, unsalted, softened
16 oz. Cream Cheese, softened (2 bars)
3 c Powdered Sugar
4 t Vanilla Extract
1/4 t Almond Extract
1 small pinch Salt (very small pinch)

Total Prep Time: 7 minutes (except time to soften butter and cream cheese.)

Allow Butter and Cream Cheese to sit out until at room temperature and softened.
In a large bowl, place the softened Butter.
Cream the Butter with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. Then add the Cream Cheese and cream for 2 minutes or so more until well mixed.
1 cup at a time, add the Powdered Sugar and blend well.
Add Salt, Vanilla and Almond Extracts and mix well. Taste and add more Powdered Sugar to be more sweet or more Cream Cheese to suit your taste.
Keep Cream Cheese Icing at room temperature for the best consistency to ice Cakes.
Refrigerate unused icing. To use again, bring to room temperature then mix with a hand mixer for about 1 minute before using.
OPTION: For those that like a very strong Cream Cheese taste add another 4 oz. of Cream Cheese for a more intense flavor.

January 5, 2010

COCONUT CAKE

Easter Schmeaster! Why wait for a holiday to eat delicious Coconut Cake. This amazing Coconut Cake is made with sweet flakes of Coconut and moist Cake iced with creamy Coconut Butter Cream. This Cake is versatile but never complicated. You can make Cupcakes or a layer Cake with rich Pastry Cream in the middle. When you are Cooking The Amazing this delicious cake will be center stage on your dessert table, holiday or not.

Here is the recipe.

1 1/2 sticks Butter, unsalted, softened

1 2/3 c Sugar

1/2 c Buttermilk

1/2 c Coconut Milk or Cream, canned (NOT Coco Lopez) (More Buttermilk can also be substituted)

1 c Sour Cream

1 t Vanilla Extract

1/2 t Almond Extract

1 T Coconut Extract

6 Egg Whites, from large Eggs

1/4 t Cream of Tarter

2 1/2 c Cake Flour (You may substitute All Purpose Flour but will be slightly more dense)

2 t Baking Powder

2 t Baking Soda

1 t Sea Salt, fine grain

Butter to grease pans

1 Recipe of Coconut Butter Cream (see below)

24 oz. Coconut Flakes, sweetened

TIP: Coconut Milk (sometimes labeled as Coconut Cream on the can ) is usually found in the Asian Foods isle of your market. Whole Foods has their own Organic brand which is good. Do not get the Light Coconut Milk for this recipe.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Plan ahead: Use room temperature ingredients for the fluffiest Cake.

2. Butter two 9 inch Cake pans then line with parchment paper rounds in the bottom. Butter the top of the parchment papers. Or place 24 Cupcake liners in muffin tins.

3. In the bowl of a KitchenAid or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream softened Butter and the Sugar for 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl frequently. It will be grainy.

4. To the creamed Butter and Sugar mixture add the Buttermilk, Coconut Milk, Sour Cream, Vanilla Extract, Almond Extract and Coconut Extract and mix well with a hand mixer or KitchenAid.

5. In a separate large bowl using a hand mixer, whip the Egg Whites and the Cream of Tarter into stiff peaks. About 3 minutes and set aside.

6. In a separate medium bowl (I know, another bowl to clean, but this Cake is worth it.) sift the Cake Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Sea Salt and then whisk well to combine. It is important to lighten the Flour and make sure the Baking Soda and Powder are well distributed.

7. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and mix for about 1 minute until no flour is seen. Be careful not to over mix.

8. Add 1/3 of the whipped Egg Whites to the mixture and mix in to lighten the batter using a rubber spatula. Then add the rest of the whipped Egg Whites and fold it in using a rubber spatula.

9. Pour cake batter mixture into the prepared cake pans divided equally and place into the center of the preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Check the the cake at 22 minutes. If not done, place back into the oven and continue to bake checking again in 1 minute intervals until a toothpick comes out of the center of the cake clean. The cake will be very lightly browned in color.

10. For Cupcakes, fill Cupcake liners 1/2 way up and bake for 19-22 minutes at 350 degrees until a toothpick comes out clean and tops are lightly browned. * Don't overfill liners or they will over flow. Makes 22-24 Cupcakes.

11. For layer cake: Allow to rest in the pan for 1 hour before removing to cool to room temperature. This is a very moist and fragile cake so handle with care.

12. Make a recipe of Coconut Butter Cream. (see below)

13. Cover the first layer of cake with 1/4 of the Coconut Butter Cream and sprinkle with 1/4 of the Coconut Flakes. Layer the other cake on top (flat side up) and ice the entire cake. Then cover the entire outside of the cake with rest of the Coconut Flakes. For Cupcakes pipe a large amount of Icing then pack Coconut Flakes on by hand. For a decadent Cake you can layer the Cake with rich Pastry Cream.

14. This Cake can be refrigerated, covered well, and then brought to room temperature before eating if you are not serving it the same day.

TIP: For a Chocolate Coconut Cake, make this cake using the Chocolate Cake recipe. Or make with the cake recipe above and fill the middle of the layers with 1/2 a recipe of whipped Ganache. Add almonds to remind you of your favorite candy bar.

TIP: Toast the Coconut in a 350 degree oven on a cookie sheet until the edges begin to brown. Watch it close, it can burn quick.

COCONUT BUTTER CREAM ICING

4 1/2 sticks Butter, unsalted, softened

5 c Powdered Sugar

2 T Milk

2 t Vanilla Extract

1/4 t Almond Extract

5 t Coconut Extract (add more to suit your taste if desired)

1 pinch Salt (very small pinch)

Total Prep Time: 5 minutes (except time to soften butter.)

Allow Butter to sit out until it is room temperature and softened.
In a large bowl, place the softened Butter.
Cream the butter with a hand mixer for 4 minutes.
1 cup at a time, add the Powdered Sugar and blend well.
In a small bowl, add Milk, Salt, Vanilla, Coconut and Almond Extracts and mix well.

Begin mixing the Butter and Powdered Sugar mixture again and add the liquid Milk and Extract mixture until mixed in well, approx 2 mins.
Keep Butter Cream Icing at room temperature for the best consistency to ice cakes.
Refrigerate unused icing. To use again, bring to room temperature then mix with a hand mixer for about 1 minutes before using.