Miss Lucy's Coconut Cake (In Memory of Roz on her Birthday)

Miss Lucy's Coconut Cake, Christmas 2010.

I really had good intentions of making this cake this Christmas (2013) but alas I didn't get around to it.  But if you are looking for a recipe for a really good coconut cake this is it.  The only baking I've done this year has yielded chocolate chip cookies and two pies---one pecan and one pumpkin.  But I'm reposting this blog in memory of my mother.  Today would have been her birthday.  

When I was growing up, my Mom usually made two cakes at Christmas.  One was Miss Lucy's Coconut Cake.  Back then, without a food processor, it was frequently my task to grate the fresh coconut by hand with the box grater. In Christmas 2010, my friend Stephanie and I made this cake, but we used  frozen coconut instead of fresh.

Since I didn't make the coconut cake this past Christmas, I have made it for Easter.  And I used fresh coconut.  To my delight, I found that the food processor worked just fine for grating the coconut---none of this grating with the box grater.

Fresh grated coconut using food processor.

Here's the recipe for Miss Lucy's Coconut Cake:

1 c. butter                                 ½ tsp.salt

2 c. sugar                                 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 c. plain flour                           ½ c. buttermilk

4 eggs                                      ½ c. water

3 tsp. baking powder

            Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly as each egg is added.  Then add dry ingredients (sifted together) alternately with the buttermilk and water, which have been mixed together.  Add vanilla.  Pour batter into three round pans which have been greased and floured.

            Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Filling:

1 large coconut ( or two small ones) grated                                2 tbsp. cornstarch

2 c. sugar                                                                               1 c. coconut milk

(You can supplement the coconut milk with plain milk if needed to make one cup.)

Mix all ingredients in order given. (Save ½ cup of grated coconut for garnish). Place over heat, and cook until thick; cool slightly.  Spread between layers and on sides.   Garnish top with grated coconut.

This cake is a very moist cake.  It is best made several days to a week in advance, and refrigerated so that the filling permeates the cake and the flavors blend. It's best if you let it come to room temperature before serving.

Miss Lucy's Coconut Cake for Easter.

I just had to sample it before Easter. Yum!

This is my favorite coconut cake.

         

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Our State Magazine

Our State down home in North Carolina.

We don't subscribe to many magazines, but one we like is Our State.  This month's February issue is devoted to desserts---a favorite topic of mine. The feature of this issue is five new cake recipes incorporating North Carolina food traditions--Krispy Kreme, country ham, pimento cheese, Nabs and Pepsi.  If you go to the Our State website, you will find the recipes for these five cakes and there is a video of these cakes being prepared.
One cake uses Krispy Kreme donuts in the recipe.

Krispy Kreme chocolate cake. (Photo from Our State website.)

In addition to these unique cakes, there's a "Tasty Dessert Tour" across North Carolina that visits 13 bakeries and restaurants and features their signature desserts.  It just so happens that one of these is within walking distance of us.  The Hayes Barton Cafe and Dessertery is just a few blocks down the street at Five Points in Raleigh.

Coconut cake a special at the Hayes Barton Cafe.

This looked so good that I walked down to the Hayes Barton Cafe & Dessertery and brought a piece of coconut cake home.  I've never seen such a big piece of cake.  It was good, and it was enough for four servings.

A piece of coconut cake from Hayes Barton Cafe.

  Check out the February issue of Our State and all the wonderful desserts featured.