Coconut Cream Cake

My daddy is coconut lover from way back, so it really wasn't a big surprise when I asked him what kind of dessert he'd like to have for Father's Day, that he requested coconut cake.  I make a really good rich and creamy Italian Cream Cake that has coconut in it, but for this occasion I wanted something a little lighter, not quite as rich---and I remembered this old favorite from long ago, one we haven't made in I-don't-know-when, Coconut Cream Cake. 

And as you can see from the picture above, we broke out the fine china, as well as adding a little vanilla ice cream on the side.  I love formal dining, don't you?

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow or white cake, prepared
• 1 container cool whip
• 1 can cream of coconut (find this in the alcoholic drink mix aisle, next to the margarita mix--this is one of the ingredients in a pina colada)
• grated or flaked coconut

Step 1: Make a plain white or yellow cake.  I used Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Golden cake mix, but I "doctored it up" and made my Sour Cream Pound Cake From a Mix, but you can make one from scratch or just a regular cake mix cake if you'd like.  (Hint: If you use a cake mix, use a good one) (Second hint: make it in a 9 x 13 pan that you don't mind taking somewhere or serving from, because this cake stays in the pan.  Don't use that favorite old one that has the black stuff all around the edges that can't be scrubbed off no matter how hard you try, even with a brillo pad.)

Step 2: Poke holes all over the cake with a fork 

Step 3: Mix together the cool whip and 3-4 T of the coconut cream.  (Hint: it's easier to do if you put it in a bowl that's big enough to really stir it around instead of trying to do it in the cool whip container)

Step 4:  Pour the remaining cream of coconut all over the cake in the pan, and allow it to soak in.

Step 5: Spread the coconut-flavored cool whip on top of the cake

Step 6: Sprinkle liberally with coconut.  Actually, just kind of gob it on all over the cake.

Step 7: And this is important--cover it refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight.  The longer this sits, the better it gets.

This cake was big hit with my Dad, as well as the rest of the family.  This recipe is one of those that everybody made "back in the day" and somehow fell by the way side, but when you make it again after a long time, you think "Why did we ever quit making this, this is good!" kind of recipes. 

Note: You could add some crushed pineapple to the cake batter, or maybe even drain some and spread on top after you soak the cake in cream of coconut, and it would be a Pina Colada Cake.  As a matter of fact, I think we made something like that "back in the day" as well.

What old favorites have you baked up for your family lately?

Until next time, good cooking, and good eating....

This post is linked to:

Church Supper at Everyday Mom's Meals

Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory

See Ya in the Gumbo at Ms enPlace

Sweet and Savory Saturday at Dessert Now, Dinner Later