Apricot-Coconut Cake

This recipe serves 8

Hands-On Time 0h30m

Total Time 3h30m

Ingredients

• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups apricot preserves
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions

• 1Heat oven to 350° F. Toast the coconut on a baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• 2Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and 3/4 cup of the preserves. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk, mixing just until incorporated.
• 3Divide the batter between the pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely on a rack.
• 4Using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream, sour cream, and confectioners' sugar to form stiff peaks. Sandwich the cakes with the remaining 1/2 cup of preserves. Frost with the cream mixture and press the coconut onto the sides.

• By Kate Merker, January 2009

Nutritional Information Servings Per Recipe 8

• Amount Per Serving

• Calories 836
• Fat 40g
• Sat Fat 25g
• Cholesterol 256mg
• Carbohydrate 110g
• Calories From Fat 43%
• Sodium 455mg
• Protein 12g
• Fiber 2g
• Sugar 61g

Quick Tip

Make-ahead: Make the cakes, wrap tightly, and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Make the frosting and frost the cakes up to 4 hours before serving. Refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving.

Caramalized Pineapple with Coconut Sorbet

How do I say this? ...YUM.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 pineapple, cored and cut into 8 half-moons (or 4 canned pineapple rings, cut in half)
• 1 pint coconut sorbet

Directions

• 1Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring, for 1 minute (the butter and sugar will remain separated).
• 2Add the pineapple and cook, swirling the pan, until the pineapple is tender and the sauce is smooth, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve the pineapple with the sorbet and drizzle with the sauce.

• By Sara Quessenberry, April 2009

Nutritional Information Servings Per Recipe 4

• Amount Per Serving

• Calories 281
• Calories From Fat 28%
• Protein 0g
• Carbohydrate 53g
• Sugar 39g
• Fiber 1g
• Fat 9g
• Sat Fat 6g
• Calcium 41mg
• Iron 0mg
• Sodium 17mg
• Cholesterol 20mg

From RealSimple.com

Coconut Cake

Can pair with (Coconut) Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.

Cake:
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon cake flour
2 1/2 cups cake flour (about 10 ounces)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup egg substitute
2 large eggs
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Lightly coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust pans with 1 tablespoon flour.

Lightly spoon 2 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place 2 cups sugar and 6 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until well blended. Add egg substitute and eggs to sugar mixture; beat well. Add flour mixture and coconut milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract.

Spoon batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap the pans once on countertop to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans. Remove wax paper; discard. Cool cakes on wire racks.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Repeat twice with cake layers and 1 cup frosting, ending with cake layer; spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Chill until set.

(Coconut) Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Frosting:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
5 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
3 tablespoons toasted flaked sweetened coconut

To prepare frosting, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, without stirring, or until a candy thermometer registers 250°. Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; using clean, dry beaters, beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; continue beating until egg white mixture cools (about 12 minutes).

Beat 1/4 cup butter until light and fluffy; stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract, if desired. Fold in 1 cup egg white mixture. Fold butter mixture into remaining egg white mixture, stirring until smooth.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Repeat twice with cake layers and 1 cup frosting, ending with cake layer; spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Chill until set.

From Cooking Light website.

Coconut Crab and Shrimp Salad - Cooking Light

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed (about 2 ears)
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup diced peeled avocado
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
6 cups torn Boston lettuce (about 3 small heads)
1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted
Preparation
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 4 minutes or until shrimp are done, turning once. Remove from the pan. Coarsely chop shrimp.

Combine corn and the next 5 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a medium bowl. Gently stir in the shrimp. Combine juice, oil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle juice mixture over shrimp mixture; toss gently to coat. Divide lettuce among each of 4 plates; top with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle evenly with toasted coconut.
Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups lettuce, about 1 cup salad, and 1 tablespoon coconut)
Nutritional Information

CALORIES 223(34% from fat); FAT 8.5g (sat 2.2g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.3g); IRON 3mg; CHOLESTEROL 124mg; CALCIUM 94mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16g; SODIUM 613mg; PROTEIN 24g; FIBER 3g

Julianna Grimes Bottcher , Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2005