Mrs Cobb's Coconut Cake

Mysterygirl's Note:

This is another one from The Cat Who Cookbook from the mystery series by the same name. I have drooled over descriptions of this cake for years.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

Cake

• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup shortening
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 5 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Filling

• 1 (15 ounce) can apricots
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Frosting

• 6 tablespoons butter or 6 tablespoons margarine , room temperature
• 6 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• milk , as needed
• coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. Cake: Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the sugar and shortening until light and fluffy.
3. Sift or mix the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. While beating, add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk.
5. Then beat for 2- 2 1/2 minutes at medium speed.
6. Add the egg whites and almond extract.
7. Beat another 1 1/2 minutes.
8. Add the coconut and stir well.
9. Put into 2 greased and floured 9" cake pans.
10. Bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11. Cool 10 minutes before removing layers from pans.
12. Spread apricot filling on completely cooled bottom layer.
13. Place second layer over filling.
14. Cover top and sides of both layers with frosting.
15. Filling: Drain apricots, reserving 2 Tbsp of juice.
16. Remove any pit fragments or pieces of stems from the apricots.
17. Puree in blender until smooth.
18. Place in saucepan.
19. Add reserved juice to cornstarch and mix well.
20. Stir into apricots.
21. Add the sugar.
22. Cook stirring over medium heat until thickened.
23. Frosting: Cream the butter or margarine and cream cheese together.
24. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
25. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add milk a half teaspoon at a time.
26. After cake is frosted, lightly press more coconut onto the top and sides, if desired.

Reviews

[Bev]

MG, if you still have not made this cake yet, you are missing out on a fabulous treat! I made this cake for my father's birthday yesterday and it could easily be the best tasting cake I have ever prepared!! I substituted butter for the shortening and eliminated the filling altogether, using frosting between the layers. To do this, I did not have to make extra frosting, there was plenty. One bite and I knew I this recipe would quickly become one of my favorites to make over and over again! The cake is light and delicious, the frosting is scrumptious! Thanks, MG, for making my father's birthday a success!

[Roberta7 - chef #438782]

I made this cake yesterday afternoon and filled it with a raspberry filling - it turned out great - very moist - next time I may try filling it with pineapple

[Lynn302]

I have made this cake for several special occassions now and my husband claims it as his favorite cake!! He loves the coconut in the cake batter rather than as an accessory on top of it! The almond extract accentuates the coconut flavor very nicely. The apricot filling is delicious. I usually lighten up the icing with a butter frosting or a whipped cream frosting and add toasted coconut to the top and sides. The thing everyone enjoys about this cake is that it tastes like a good dense homemade cake and it tastes like you had a piece of cake!!!!