Italian Cream Cake

I finally made this cake. I have been wanting to make it for awhile. When I suggested it, my daughter said sure but my two guys were not interested. I didn't want to make a cake for only two people. Then we went to the store. The store had samples of different cakes to sample. I had my guys try this cake. They both liked it. Then I told them the name. So, they agreed I should make the cake. They told me that my cake was better than the one they had tried at the store. I love my guys. They say the sweetest thing to me. My daughter like it a lot too. The recipe calls for coconut but you can't taste it. I crushed the pecans small for my husband. He isn't the biggest fan of nuts. Also, I limited the pecan decorations on the cake so he could take them off and give them to me. If you want a taller cake, then I would double the batter but this size was perfect for us. I used 2 pans instead of 3 since I didn't want to rotate pans during baking it. 

Italian Cream Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour two 9 inch baking pans. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well before adding the next egg.
5. Add the vanilla and combine.
6. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. 
7. Add a little of the flour mixture then alternating with the buttermilk. Combine well.
8. Fold in the pecans and the coconut.
9. Evenly distribute the batter between the two pans.
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
11. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powder sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. 
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. 
3. Beat until smooth. 

Recipe and frosting adapted from Taste of Home. 

One year ago...........................I made Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Two years ago.........................I made Sausage Wonton.
Four years ago.........................I made Burgundy Mushrooms. 

Did you already know........................
-Italian Cream Cake is a Southern Cake.
-Italian Cream Cake was published in the early 1900s.
-Italian Cream Cake tends to be three layers with a cream cheese frosting.

Next week: I'm posting Angel Food Cake!

Coconut Pudding

Because it is suppose to be Spring.....................
Because there is snow still on the ground...........
Because it is my sister's birthday........................
Because my sister was born in Hawaii...............
Because Hawaii sounds good right now.............
I decided to try making some Hawaiian recipes like Haupia which is Coconut Pudding.  Haupia is suppose to set and should be able to cut into squares. I guess I should have let mine set just a little longer before removing from the container but it didn't matter since it still tasted good. My Mom remembered having it before and likes this dessert. I think if I was going to make it again then I may just try using cornstarch instead of the arrowroot which may make the difference. It is suppose to be the consistence of jello maybe next time. It is creamy and smooth with a nice hint of coconut.

Haupia aka coconut pudding
6 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp arrowroot
2 cup coconut milk
1 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar with the arrowroot. Set aside.
2. In a saucepan, add 1 cup of coconut milk, sugar, and arrowroot. 
3. Heat the mixture over low heat until thicken about 8 minutes.
4. Add the other 1 cup coconut milk and the whole milk.
5. Continue to heat the mixture until the mixture is thick about another 8 minutes.
6. Pour the mixture into an 8 inch pan until firm.

Recipe adapted from About. com. 

One year ago.........................................I made Peanut Butter Frosting.
Two years ago.......................................I made Sloppy Joes.

Did you already know............................
-Haupia is very popular at Luau.
-Haupia was originally made with arrowroot.
-Besides being served in squares, haupia can be a filling in cakes and pies.

May Day

When I think of May Day, I think of Maypoles, flowers, and ribbons. The flowers are in bloom and it is a beautiful time of year. In celebration of enjoying the warm weather. I made pinwheels. This time in the form of a cookie. I have made pinwheels out of paper and they aren't very hard to make. They usually work.

My husband liked the filling in these cookies. My children did not. So, I made them both ways. I preferred the cookies with the filling since it gave them a little more flavor. I normally do not show you the steps of making something but I did this time since I think it's always easier to show then describe.

Coconut-Cream Cheese Pinwheels
Dough:
2 cups all purpose flour (additional for work surface)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Filling:
3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
Glaze:
1 egg, lightly beaten
fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese for about two minutes.
3. Add the egg and vanilla to the mixer.
4. Slowly, add the flour mixture. 
5. Mix until just combined.
6. Divide the dough into half and pat into disks.
7. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate dough for about 1 to 2 hours.
8. After dough is chilled and firmed, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
10. Make the filling by creaming together the sugar and cream cheese. 
11. Fold in the coconut and white chocolate chips.
12. Roll the dough to about 1/8 inch think on a lightly floured surface. 
13. Make 2 1/2 inch squares with a fluted cookie cutter or fluted pastry wheel.
14. Place the dough onto the baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
15. Repeat with the other disc of dough.
16. With a fluted pastry wheel, cut 1 inch slits diagonally from each corner towards the center. Do not cut all away across. (See above)
17. Place 1 tsp filling in the center of each square.
18. Fold over every other corner towards the filling. Form a pinwheel.
19. Press lightly to seal the corners. Make a well in the center of each cookie.
20. Brush each cookie with the beaten egg. Sprinkle each cookie with the sanding sugar. Bake 6 minutes.
21. Add 1/2 tsp jam in the center of each cookie.
22. Bake another 6 minutes or until the edges are golden.
23. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies.

Did you already know...
-May Day is the celebration of Spring.
-The celebrations date back to Egyptian times.
-The Celtics celebrated the Pagan holiday called Beltane on Mayday.
-Traditional May Day foods are oats and diary.
-The Puritans banned Maypoles.