Coconut Cream Cake

What a fun weekend I had!  We had our Secret Praying Sisters Banquet at our church on Saturday.  It was an apron theme and I'll post more pictures of the banquet tomorrow, today let me tell you about the cake!  A while ago I saw Paula Deen's Coconut Cream Cake and wanted to try it, but it is not the type of cake you can decorate.  I have just been waiting for a chance to be able to make it for something.  Since we were having a southern food theme, I knew this party would be perfect!

I had my misgivings, after all I have never made a cake before that had to be marinated and was made with sour cream.  When I baked the cake it was very dense.  I made two on Wednesday, one for the banquet and one for the potluck at church on Sunday.  I also made the filling and sliced lots of layers and put the filling between the layers.  Then I wrapped them up and stuck them in my very small fridge and told my husband not to bump them.  I also had to take stuff out of my very small fridge to fit them in there!  LOL  There are two recipes that Paula Deen has, the first one is the one you see on the show all the time which I will probably try next time: Jaime's Coconut Cake which does not need to marinate(it's not really marinating),

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/jamies-coconut-cake-recipe3/index.html

Her other recipe is a coconut cream cake I found in her cook book "Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics" 

Coconut Cream Cake

CAKE

1 cup butter (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar (I used thot not sugar)

5 eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used organic unbleached white flour)

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk (I used coconut milk)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FILLING

1 cup chilled heavy cream

2 cups sour cream

2 cups confectioner's sugar

(I used 1 cup of palm sugar instead and put it in the sour cream first and just let the liquid of the sour cream melt it)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups shredded coconut, plus more for topping

(optional) whipped cream for topping

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans.  (I only did two).  For the cake, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy(about 4-5 minutes).  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Combine the flour and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour.  Stir in the vanilla.  Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch.  Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn them out to cool completely.  (They were very dense and heavy)

While the cakes cool, make the filling:  In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff.  Fold in the sour cream, then gradually add the confectioner's sugar.  (Unless you are using palm sugar which should have been soaking in your cream to melt)  Stir in the vanilla, then fold in the coconut.                     To serve, split each cake layer in half horizontally.  Spread the filling between the layers and on top of the cake.  Place the cake in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 3 days before serving.  When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and sprinkle with coconut.  If desired frost with whipped cream.  (If you are making whipped cream with palm sugar put the palm sugar in your bowl with the heavy cream while the bowl is chilling in your fridge, this will melt the palm sugar).

To make the clothesline, I took two kabob skewers since they had a pointed end to stick in my straw, and a skinny straw.  I then poked holes in the straw with a straight pin, I first measured to make sure the holes were where I wanted them.  I then took some fondant and rolled it in logs and wrapped them around the straw.  I should have made the "logs" smaller though.

I laid the clothesline down so that I could hang my aprons from them while they dried.  I made "material" by rolling shapes into the fondant and then cut my aprons out.  I then attached them to the "clothesline" with water and wrapped the apron straps around the clothesline.  Next time I will put the aprons in a gallon size baggie while I work and position them all at the same time rather then one at a time.  This will ensure they are more evenly spaced.  My pink apron fell off right before the party so I should have the straps thicker.  I let them dry all day until I got to the banquet when I stuck the clothesline into the cake.

I also made a clothes basket out of fondant.  I made a rectangle and pushed the inside in a little bit to give it a shallow look without having to make a lot of "material" to fill it in with.  I then took a fondant thingy and made lines like a basket has on the sides.  I made three "pieces of material" that I folded and put in the basket and then laid an apron hanging over the side of the basket.

For dinner:  Pam made brisket, Miss Debra made sweet potato salad, Pam cut up a watermelon, Clarissa made cream biscuits and I made coconut cream cake.