My Favorite Coconut Cake

Coconut is by far one of my most favorite flavors.  I don't remember always feeling that way, but in the last ten years my palate definitely craves the flavor quite often.  When I used to live in the Dallas area, my mom would come to visit and she would always make time for a stop at the Cotton Patch Cafe for their coconut cream pie.  Sinfully delicious!   I think that's how my love affair with coconut got started.

I remember filling out a "favorite things" sheet for my old school and indicated that coconut cake was my favorite dessert. For teacher appreciation week about six years ago, one of my sweeties brought me the most delicious, homemade coconut cake to round out my week.  It was the most decadent treat and I'm pretty sure I almost devoured the entire thing...ALONE.  Not ashamed to admit that.  I've since made it a million times and always think about my sweet little blondie, Andrew T., whose mom made it for me first all those years ago.  Truly the gift that keeps on giving :)

If there's one dessert that you need to keep on rotation in the warm months ahead, this one should be it!  I made this for Easter and there wasn't a bite left when it was all said and done.  My mom and I clearly aren't the only ones with a preference for this flavor.  So AMAZINGLY delicious!!!!!

SOUR CREAM COCONUT CAKE with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

CAKE

1 pkg. white cake mix

1 (15 oz.) can of cream of coconut

1 C. sour cream

1/2 C. vegetable oil

3 eggs

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

8 oz.cream cheese, softened

1 (16 oz.) pkg confectioner's sugar

1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (7oz.) pkg, sweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, cream of coconut, sour cream, vegetable oil, and eggs.  Mix until combined and well blended.  

Just in case you're wondering about the cream of coconut, I get mine in the liquor aisle next to the mixers.  

Once combined, spoon mixture into a greased & floured 9x13 inch cake pan.  As you can see, I used two 8" round pans and that wasn't a good idea.  Since I'd never made it like this in the past, I wanted to try for Easter...I was wanting a "pretty" cake to display on the dessert table.  Y'all.  Bad idea.  This is a crumbly cake and doesn't set quite like a regular cake.  It looked like a hot disaster when it wasn't iced and transferring it from the pan to the baking rack to the cake dish was just awful.  Stick to the 9x13!!!  It always turns out amazing!!! 

Bake on 350 for 45-55 minutes.

While the cake is baking, whip up the cream cheese frosting.

Just combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat until well blended.  

Once the cake cools, spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the top.  Sprinkle the sweetened flaked coconut over the top of the frosting, cut you a slice, and then cut you about five more...you won't be able to stop once you start!!!!!  

Like I said earlier, this truly is the gift that keeps on giving!  

I couldn't possibly articulate how delicious this really is...trust me when I say you need to try this as soon as you can!  This is great to take to potluck dinners...it's ALWAYS a hit!  

Just remember to bake it in a 9x13 if you want to keep your sanity :)