Coconut Cake with Key Lime Frosting

Welcome back everyone! So, at my house, we call this cake the “Lime in the Coconut Cake”. It’s sweet, tangy, fresh, and most of all, delicious!! Eating this cake just gives me a summery feeling. Whether it’s the lime, the coconut, or the combination of the two, this cake is sure to wow any crowd and be the perfect flavor for your next get together.

Some of my favorite things about this recipe:

·        The key lime frosting is TO DIE FOR! I always make extra because anyone around just has to try it… and then try it again.. I guess it’s kind of like a potato chip. “You can’t have just one” (spoonful, that is).

·        The cake has a nice crumb, yet a moist, almost creamy texture.

·        I love coconut, and paired with this frosting, you’ll create a winning combination!

This was one of the first cakes I attempted to make, like ever, (it was for my husband’s 23^rd birthday) and being an amateur the first time around sort of drives my perspective to perceive this cake as a bit more difficult than what I would consider a beginner cake. For those of you who are beginners though, don’t click away just yet. I did make this as a beginner, and I’m here to tell you, YOU CAN DO IT! It was my first time making an “egg white cake” by myself, and those of you who follow me already know that makes the cake more susceptible to errors that can change the texture of your cake. In my opinion though, cakes with egg whites folded in (and cakes with buttermilk – this recipe uses both) make the BEST cakes!

 So, life has been, well... busy! I am sorry to say, I didn't snap any pictures of Charlotte helping this week. I promise, next week will be different. 

Don’t forget to leave comments in the space below! Now, what to do next week?? Any ideas?

Coconut Cake with Key Lime Frosting Yield: SERVES 24-36 Prep time: 45 minutes  Bake time: 15-20 minutes Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes cooling and decoration time)

Ingredients: Coconut Cake: 4 cups flour 1 ½ tsp baking powder ¾ tsp baking soda ¾ tsp salt 2 ½ cups sugar 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 ½ sweetened cream of coconut 6 eggs, separated 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract ¾ tsp coconut extract 1 ½ cups buttermilk

Key Lime Frosting:* 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 6-8 cups confectioners’ sugar 6 Tbl lime zest 3 Tbl lime juice

Garnish: Toasted coconut** Key lime slices

Directions: For the Cake: 1.       Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 3 8-inch cake pans. Set aside. 2.       In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 3.       In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine, sugar, butter and cream of coconut. Beat until fluffy. This should take around 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated. Add coconut and vanilla extracts. 4.       Adjust the mixer speed to low, and mix in the dry ingredients. When they are just incorporated, add the buttermilk, and beat until just incorporated. Set aside. 5.       In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. 6.       Gently fold egg whites into the batter, 1/3 at a time. 7.       Divide the batter into prepared cake pans. Bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out nearly clean. 8.       Let cool 10 minutes in pan before turning onto cooling racks. Allow to cool completely.

For the Frosting: 1.       In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat butter until fluffy. This should take 1-2 minutes. 2.       Slowly add 5 cups confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, and beat until fluffy. This should take about 3 minutes. 3.       Add lime juice, lime zest, and remaining confectioners’ sugar. Beat for 1-2 more minutes.

To Assemble: 1.       After the cakes have completely cooled, level the cakes. Use the sturdiest cake layer on the bottom, and apply a layer of frosting on top. 2.       Add the second cake layer, and apply another layer of frosting on top. 3.       Add the final layer to the top, bottom side up. 4.       Apply a crumb coat with the frosting. Chill for 15-30 minutes. 5.       Add remaining icing, decorate and garnish as desired.

Recipe Notes *You can use key limes or regular limes. I always use fresh squeezed lime juice in my recipes. ** Toasting coconut is easy! Just put raw coconut into a skillet, heat over a low heat and stir until the coconut browns.

Announcement

I don't know about all of you, but when I'm trying a new recipe, I find myself constantly checking back to make sure I'm doing everything right. Not even joking when I say I get on my own nerves doing it, but it's only because I like to do things perfectly (at least the first time around).
Well, if you're like me, I have some great news! NO MORE checking and rechecking yourself! I've just started streaming a podcast with directions that you can listen to while you bake!
You'll also hear reviews and fun stories in the weeks to come!

Come check it out!

The Busy Baker - The Podcast

Let me know what you think! And, as always, HAPPY BAKING! 😄

Raspberry White Chocolate Almond Cupcakes

Hey there! The past two weeks have been loaded with decadent chocolate, so I’ve been in the mood for something bright and fresh. As you can see, we’re still keeping the chocolate, but this week, it’s white chocolate! (Not always my favorite, but when you pair it with raspberries, HOLY COW!)

Some of my favorite things about this recipe:

·        Light, fluffy cake

·        THE RASPBERRIES! This is, hands down, my favorite fruit!

·        The sweet, light frosting makes these cupcakes a blank slate for creative decorating.

·        Assembly is easy as 1-2-3!

·        You can eat the ugly ones, and no one will know! (Don’t judge me).

As far as difficulty goes, on a scale of 1-10, I give this cake batter a 5. There are a couple of things that can be easy to mess up if you don’t know to watch yourself. Firstly, when you are mixing the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, you do not want to overmix! Secondly, in my opinion, recipes that call for you to separate the egg whites and fold them in do two things. 1) They make it very easy to over mix the batter, causing your cake to become too dense. 2) Done correctly, an “egg white cake” (I have just deemed this a new term), gives cake a wonderfully fluffy texture. As if that fine line wasn’t enough to give you second thoughts, you will be adding cream of tartar and sugar during the beating process. It’s a lot simpler than it seems though. So, don’t be scared! I am here to walk you through it!

The filling and frosting for this recipe are both very simple, and the amount of ingredients you use can be altered based on your preferences. They are SERIOUSLY so easy!

 I have some bad news! Poor Charlotte was sick this week, and was not able to help me! But… if you check back in a day or two, I’ll be sure to update with a picture of her enjoying this delicious creation!

Don’t forget to leave comments in the space below! Now, what to do next week?? Any ideas?

Raspberry White Chocolate Almond Cupcakes Yield: SERVES 24-36 Prep time: 45 minutes  Bake time: 15-20 minutes Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes cooling and decoration time)

Ingredients: Almond Cupcake: 1 ¾ cups Cake Flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt ½ cup of brown sugar 2/3 cup granulated sugar (split) 5 eggs, separated ½ cup of canola oil ½ cup buttermilk ½ Tbl almond extract ½ tsp cream of tartar

Raspberry Filling: 1 ½ cups frozen raspberries 1-2 Tbl cornstarch 2 Tbl lemon juice 1/3 cup sugar

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: 2 cups butter, softened 3 cups powdered sugar 2 cup white chocolate chips, melted Milk as needed

Directions: For the cupcakes: 1.       Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour or line cupcake pans. Set aside. 2.       Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk in brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar. * 3.       In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, oil, almond extract, and buttermilk. Set aside. 4.       In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, Beat the egg whites at medium speed. When the egg whites become frothy, add cream of tartar, and gradually increase speed to high. Beat until soft peaks form. 5.       Reduce mixer speed to medium, and slowly add the remaining 1/3 granulated sugar. Return mixer speed to high, and beat until stiff, shiny peaks form. 6.       Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. 7.       Fold in the egg whites 1/3 at a time. Be careful not to over mix. 8.       Add about ¼ - 1/3 cup batter to prepared cupcake pan. Bake about 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Don’t worry if they don’t brown very much. 9.       Let cool in pan before removing and decorating.

For the Raspberry Filling: ** 1.       In a saucepan over medium heat, combine frozen raspberries and sugar. Stir until raspberries have turned to liquid.*** 2.       Add cornstarch 1Tbl at a time, and stir until you’ve reached the desired consistency. Keep in mind this will thicken as it cools.**** 3.       Add lemon juice, stir until completely combined, and allow to cool or chill overnight.

For the White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: 1.       In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat butter on low speed until soft, and begin gradually adding the powdered sugar (about 1 Tbl at a time). Beat until fully combined. 2.       Assure that the white chocolate is at room temperature, and then add to the mixture. Mix until fully combined. 3.       If the icing is a little bit too thick and difficult to pipe or spread, add small amounts of milk (no more than a teaspoon at a time) and mix well until you reach your preferred consistency, keeping in mind, it will become more workable as it chills. Chill at least 15 minutes.*****

To Assemble: 1.       After the cakes have completely cooled, begin filling the cakes with the raspberry filling. I like to use my filling gun for this, but I have also found that a piping bag with a star tip works very well. 2.       Select your piping tip, and get to frosting! 3.       Garnish with a fresh raspberry.

Recipe Notes *If you do not have a sifter, you can use a small strainer. That’s what I do, and if you don’t have one of those, a whisk will be fine. **I recommend making the filling in advance to give it plenty of time to chill and thicken before filling your cupcakes. ***If you would like a filling without seeds, you can strain the raspberry mixture. This takes time, and may be worth it, but I usually skip this step. ****I like my filling to be VERY thick, like jelly. Adding the cornstarch 1 Tbl will allow you to pick your perfect consistency. AND, don’t forget, it will get thicker in the refrigerator. *****I usually do not add milk. If you think the icing is too runny, add more confectioner sugar, but keep in mind it will become a more workable consistency after it chills.

S'mores Cake

I've been in the mood for something rich and decadent lately, but I've also really wanted to go camping. The weather has been perfect! (Like I have time for that right now.. ☹️).. So, in the spirit of camping, I have decided to share with you all one of my favorites! The S'MORES cake! It's rich, easy, and most of all, FUN!

This cake has it all! It's a double chocolate cake with marshmallow and graham cracker buttercream, a chocolate ganache drip, and adorned with toasted marshmallows, graham crackers and more chocolate! This is a chocolate lover's dream!

A fair warning, this cake is so rich, it's almost like, brownie rich. I don't see why you would want to, but if you want to take it down a notch, you can nix the hand-full of chocolate chips at the end, and even cut the melted chocolate down. But, I wouldn't put any less than 1/4 cup of melted chips. On the other hand, I don't recommend adding anymore chocolate. (I can't believe I actually said that).

There's nothing I would say is overly technical or difficult about this cake. All I would say is, be sure not to over mix the cake batter after the addition of the melted chocolate. Make sure you fold the graham cracker crumbs into the frosting. Too many cakes have been ruined by soupy frosting (although the marshmallow makes this frosting particularly resilient). And, don't be discouraged by the chocolate ganache! It sounds all fancy and difficult, but it is really a cinch to make! Here's a quick video to learn how...

And, of course, I had my lovely little helper assisting me! I hope you all enjoy her messy face as much as I do!

I just made a podcast, where I talk about this cake and what to expect next week! Come check it out!!!  https://soundcloud.com/felicia-maerz/welcome-smores-cake S'mores Cake Yield: SERVES 12-15  Prep time: 20-35 minutes  Bake time: 30-40 minutes Total time:  4 hours 15 minutes (includes cooling time)

Ingredients: Chocolate Cake: 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder 3 cups cake flour 3 cups sugar 3 tsp baking powder 3/4 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp salt 3 cups buttermilk 3/4 cup vegetable oil 6 eggs 1/4 cup (heaping) semisweet chocolate chips, melted hand-full of semisweet chocolate chips

Marshmallow and Graham Cracker Frosting: 14 oz marshmallow fluff 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 4-6 cups confectioners sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 Tbl heavy whipping cream* 1 cup graham cracker crumbs

Chocolate Ganache : 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream Garnish: Large marshmallows Graham crackers Mini chocolate chips Snack size Hershey Bars

Directions: For the cake: 1.  Preheat oven to 350℉, and grease and flour 3 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside. 2.  In a large mixing bowl** combine the cocoa powder, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir with hand whisk. 3.  In a separate bowl**, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and oil. 4.  Gradually mix the wet ingredients INTO the dry ingredients. 5.  Add the melted chocolate, and mix until just blended. 6.  Pour into prepared cake pans. Evenly distribute the hand-full of chocolate chips into the pans. Bake about 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out nearly clean. 7.  Let cool in pan 10 minutes before turning onto cooling racks.

For the Frosting: 1.   In the bowl of stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the marshmallow fluff and butter until combined. 2.  Mix in the vanilla extract. 3.  Add confectioners sugar a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.  4.  Add heavy whipping cream.Whisk on high for about 2 minutes. 5.  Stir in the graham cracker crumbs

For the Chocolate Ganache: 1.  Place chocolate chips in a bowl. Set aside.  2.  In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream over medium heat, stirring frequently.  3.  When the whipping cream begins to form small bubbles around the outer rim of the saucepan, remove from heat, and immediately pour over chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is melted. Allow to cool a little bit before adding to cake.

To Assemble: 1.       After the cakes have completely cooled, begin by leveling the top of the cakes. 2.       Place the first layer on your platter of choice, and top with frosting. Place the second cake layer on top of the first, covering with more frosting. Place the last cake layer, bottom up, on top.  3.       Use the frosting to apply a crumb coat. Refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes. 4.       Apply your outer layer of frosting. Decorate the sides of the cake as desired.***  5.   Starting in the middle, carefully pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, allowing it to spread until it begins to drip.**** 6.   Garnish as desired.*****

Recipe Notes *Use up to 1 Tbl of heavy whip, or more as needed. You may not need that much. **I have two bowls for my stand mixer, so I use one of them for dry ingredients, and one of them for wet ingredients, that way, when I mix them together, I can use my mixer. I use the paddle attachment ***When decorating the sides, keep in mind there will be a drip, so I wouldn't get to intricate. ****If you have a squeeze bottle, it can make this step extremely easy, and it allows you to pick and choose exactly where you want the drip to go. ***** I used a culinary torch to melt my marshmallows, it takes some practice,and you definitely need to do it before you add the rest of the garnishes.

The World’s Best German Chocolate Cake

OK! So, I know any baker would claim that their German Chocolate Cake is the best, but I PROMISE that you will never try any other recipe ever again! Everything about this cake has me going back for bite after bite. It’s decadent and moist, and overall, a lavish PARTY in your mouth!

Here’s why I think it’s the world’s best German Chocolate Cake:

·        Sweet and moist

·        Soft crumb that holds its shape, making it easy to build

·        Dense without being too heavy

·        Chocolate cream cheese icing is light and sweet, rather than thick and fudgy (I could eat an entire bowl by itself!)

So, let’s get to it! When you first start making this cake, you will melt the baking chocolate with boiling water. It is important that you let it cool enough so that adding it to the batter doesn’t cook the egg yolks, but don’t stress if it’s not quite room temperature.

Sifting the dry ingredients helps ensure that the batter won’t be lumpy. If you don’t have a sifter, I usually use a small strainer to do this, but if you don’t have one of those either, a whisk should work fine.

The most critical part of this recipe is the addition of the egg whites. You want to whip them until stiff peaks form. My grandmother swears that only a copper bowl will do, but she is also accustomed to whipping them by hand. BLESS HER! Not only do I not own a copper bowl, but I don’t have the strength or the patience to whip egg whites by hand. Using a hand held or stand mixer at the highest setting seems to be just as effective. (No offense, Grandma!) So, after you’ve got peaks, GENTLY fold the egg whites into the batter. DO NOT over-mix. You want to keep the batter as fluffy as possible. It gives you the soft crumble you want. Over-mixing will make the cake too heavy.

I snapped a couple of pictures of my favorite helper.
Please forgive the papers in the background! We just moved to our new home, and what you see is our collection of un-filed warranties. 

I recently made this cake for my uncle’s 60^th birthday, and he’s not a big fan of chocolate frosting. He requested that I frost it entirely with the coconut pecan filling. At first, my heart hurt! The chocolate frosting is TO DIE FOR! Not to mention, the filling does not make the most workable or attractive frosting. I doubled the recipe for filling, and tripled the amount of coconut and pecans that I usually do, hoping it wouldn’t all slide down into a goopy (yet amazingly delicious) mess. Thankfully, it worked! I added a few pecans around the top just to give it a little something extra, and it was a crowd pleaser!  

I’ve made this heaven-sent treat time after time, and it always leaves people in awe, drooling as they beg me to give up my secret.

Being a self-taught baker, I’ve had my share of tries and fails, but luckily for me, this recipe has been perfected and passed down from mother to daughter for generations. And, luckily for you, I’m finally willing to part with just this one.

Happy baking!

German Chocolate Cake Yield: SERVES 10-12  Prep time: 10-15 minutes  Bake time: 30-40 minutes Total time: 3 hours 45 minutes (includes cooling time)

Ingredients: Chocolate Cake: 4 ounces (1 package) Sweet Cooking Chocolate* ½ cup boiling water 1 cup unsalted butter** 2 cups sugar 4 eggs, separated 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 ½ cups sifted cake flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 cup buttermilk

Coconut Pecan Filling: 1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted 1 cup sugar 3 egg yolks ½ cup unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 cup flaked coconut*** 11/2 cup chopped pecans***

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: 4 Tbl unsalted butter 8 ounces cream cheese 3 ounces sweetened cooking chocolate, melted**** 3 cups sifted powdered sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt

Directions: For the cake: 1.       Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans. Set aside. 2.       Melt chocolate with the boiling water. Let cool. 3.       In a medium bowl, combine sifted flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside. 4.       In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla and chocolate. Mix well. 5.       Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk; beat until smooth. 6.       Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. 7.       Pour into prepared cake pans. Bake about 35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out nearly clean. 8.       Let cool in pan 10 minutes before turning onto cooling racks.

For the Coconut Pecan Filling: 1.       In a saucepan over medium heat, combine evaporated milk, egg yolks, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Cook, stirring frequently until mixture thickens. This should take about 12 minutes. 2.       Remove from heat, and mix in coconut and pecans. Beat until thick.

For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: 1.       In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, cream butter and cream cheese. Add melted chocolate, salt and vanilla. 2.       Gradually add powdered sugar and heavy cream, alternating between the ingredients. Mix well.

To Assemble: 1.       After the cakes have completely cooled, begin by leveling the top of the cakes. 2.       Place the first layer on your platter of choice, and top with 1/3 of the coconut pecan filling. Place the second cake layer on top of the first, covering with another 1/3 of the filling. Place the last cake layer, bottom up on top. Save the last 1/3 of filling for later. 3.       Use the chocolate cream cheese frosting to apply a crumb coat. Refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes. 4.       Put the last 1/3 of the coconut pecan filling on top of the cake. Use the remaining chocolate cream cheese frosting to coat the sides of the cake. Use any remaining chocolate cream cheese frosting to decorate as desired.

Recipe Notes *I like to use Baker’s German Sweet Chocolate. It comes in a green box. **You can substitute butter for shortening if preferred. ***Sometimes I add more to make the filling a thicker consistency. I would especially recommend doing so if you are going to forgo the chocolate cream cheese frosting and decorate the entire cake with filling. (Which is also AMAZING!) ****I usually use the same Baker’s German Sweet Chocolate, but it is perfectly fine to use an unsweetened cooking chocolate if you prefer your chocolate frosting to be just a bit more bitter. Hey folks.. This is so not like me, but when I actually made this cake, I intended to take original photos. Unfortunately, when I was working on it, the cake fell to the floor and made a huge splattering mess! I was filled with anguish! I would've made another one and redone it, but this blog is for a class, and I am on a time crunch! So, the cake pictures are not originals. The top picture is from another blogger. I'm sure hers is delicious, and it looks very similar, but trust me, this is seriously THE BEST GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE, EVER!! https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2017/05/10/german-chocolate-cake/ Update: I found a picture of one of the German Chocolate cakes I made for my husbands birthday a long time ago! Here it is...