Coconut Cream Cake

What kind of cake do you like for your birthday celebration? You could always go with chocolate which is one of my favorites.  I celebrated my big day over the weekend.  This year I had a serious craving for coconut. I was tempted to make a coconut cream pie but pie just seemed wrong for a birthday. Instead of picking up a store bought cake (which my family had every intention of doing), I told them I would satisfy my birthday cake craving by baking a Coconut Cream Cake.

Using a boxed vanilla cake mix as my base, I used canned coconut milk instead of water and added a teaspoon of coconut flavoring.  I placed all ingredients in stand mixer and mixed until blended.

I buttered and floured a 6" x 3" round aluminum cake pan.  I also added a parchment round inside pan and coated it with cooking spray.  I did not want this cake to stick!  My cake didn't quite come to top edge but it easily came out of the pan.

Fill pan three-quarters of the way full.  You want the cake to bake up to top edge of pan.  This will allow you to have 2 - 1.5" layers or 3 - 1" layers.  I went with 2 layers on this cake.  I used a cake leveler to level cake and then cut cake in half.

Place first layer on foil-covered cake round.  Add 1/2 cup of frosting and spread over layer.  Place second layer on top of first layer.  Add 1/2 cup of frosting on second layer and spread evenly.  

Using an offset spatula, add additional frosting around sides of cake  and spread evenly.  This doesn't have to be perfect because you will cover sides with toasted coconut flakes.

Frosting Top of Cake:  Place remaining frosting in piping bag fitted with #12 round tip.  Started on top edge of cake, pipe large dot of frosting.  Using tip of spatula, gently push frosting toward the right to create a "petal" on the left.  Continue making frosting petals all along edge, then move to inner circle making 3 concentric circles of petals.  Leave center empty - you will fill this with toasted coconut.

Toasting Coconut:  After cake is finished baking, reduce oven heat to 300 degrees.  Place 2-3 cups of sweetened coconut flakes on parchment lined baking sheet.  Spread out evenly.  Bake coconut flakes until lightly toasted.  I toasted coconut in 5 min increments (set a timer) until flakes are lightly toasted.  Keep your eye on it!  Edges tend to toast before center so you may need to move flakes around with spatula after each 5 minute baking increment. 

Coating Sides with Toasted Coconut:  In an effort of full disclosure, I must warn you - THIS STEP IS MESSY and there's no easy way around it.  I'm open to suggestions to make this step neater.  After coconut has cooled completely, it will be toasty, crispy, and yummy.  Place cake on cooling rack over baking sheet (to collect coconut flakes that fall).  Pick up a bunch of flakes with your fingers and gently push onto side of frosted cake.  Continue all around side of cake until completely covered.  You can use flakes that fall in pan below.  I made a lot of toasted coconut because I wasn't sure how much I'd need.  You probably only need 2 cups total.

I had enough batter left over to make a small batch of mini cup-cakes.  I added the same frosting and sprinkled tops with toasted coconut flakes.  These were a bonus and the perfect bite of deliciousness (I had to try one or two, maybe three, out for quality control purposes ;-).

This recipe was even a big hit with our canine family member.  Our golden doodle Bella thought the platter of mini cupcakes on the table was meant for her.  She enjoyed at least 3 or 4 (including the paper) before being busted by her big brother! Bad doggy!

Going, going...

This cake was gobbled up in less than 24 hours.  On a yumminess scale from 1 (yuck) -10 (amazing), my fourteen year old son gave the recipe an "11".  Yay!  That's very high marks coming from him because he can be picky.  He's actually eating the very last piece as I write this post (and the dog is eyeing him longingly begging for a bite).

Check out the recipe below

Bikini Cake

Every February for the past 10 years, my sister has hosted a pre-Valentine's Day girls night out celebration and panty exchange called Pink Panty Party.  Each attendee brings a NEW wrapped pair of panties (the more outrageous, the better and funnier) for a gift exchange.  No one is actually taking off their panties (not at the party anyway - wink, wink).  Well, the husbands completely embrace this girls night out get-together and hope their lovely wives will later "model" the newly acquired undies.  Just sayin' people... #loveisintheair.

Unfortunately, I missed the festivities last year due to a pesky case influenza which turned into an even peskier case of pneumonia.  So much for that flu shot!  I didn't figure the ladies would appreciate me coughing up a lung on their new panties last year so I stayed home with my nebulizer.  

So, that brings us to this year's party...I went all out and made a Bikini Cake that looks like a pink panty and bra set.  

Some of you may know that I have a "thing" for making special cakes.  I love baking and it's a hobby that I've enjoyed for many years.  I've come a long way since I first started baking.  The first time I made a cake all by myself at the ripe age of 11 years old, I thought "egg whites" meant the shell.  Seriously!  So, yes, I crunched up the egg shell and put it in the cake.  It was quite crunchy to say the least.  I never made that mistake again!  I've teamed up with my sister on a few occasions as well.  I have fond memories of assisting her with a multi-tiered luau party cake (while drinking margaritas) for my niece's 8th birthday.  My husband was supervising us (haha!) and making margaritas.  It's a miracle that cake turned out so well in our tipsy-turvy state.

So, back to my Bikini Cake.  A friend made a similar cake years ago for a coworker's lingerie shower and I thought it was so cute. I knew it would be perfect for our little celebration.  I scoured the internet and Pinterest for examples and got a plan together hoping to use a specialty cake tee-shirt shaped pan I already had on hand.   

Can you believe this is how my cake started out?  Using one boxed cake mix, I poured a little bit of batter into 2 small round dishes which would eventually become the "boobs" for the woman's torso.  Here are the boob cakes before being attached.  The inset photo shows the cups I used for baking.
  

I poured the remaining cake batter in the tee-shirt pan.  I baked the tee-shirt cake first because it would take longer than the small cups.  After everything finished baking, I allowed the cakes to cool completely.  Using a bread knife, I carved the waist of the torso in slightly to give it a more feminine curve.

I then "attached" the boob cakes to the torso using frosting.  I continued with a crumb coat of icing on the entire cake including the boobs.  I placed cake in freezer so everything would set.  I later added a more substantial layer of icing.  I placed cake in the freezer again.

This was my first time to ever use fondant so I was a bit nervous about this step.  The next morning I rolled out the ivory colored fondant to cover the entire cake which simulates the "skin" for the body.  I smoothed it out and trimmed around the edges.  I had a few areas that looked slightly cracked but overall I think I did pretty good for a fondant first timer.

I cut out a template for the undies and bra using regular printer paper.  I placed templates on cake and used a toothpick to trace little dots around edge of pattern.  

For the bra template, I only traced the front of bra and the straps.  I piped frosting along the side and underside of the natural shape of the "boobs" but left a little "cleavage" at the front.

I piped pink frosting for bra/panty set using a #16 star tip.  

I also embellished the bra and panties using edible heart candies and pearlized candies (which look like beads).  

For the border, I piped same color pink frosting using a #12 round tip to make dots.  I alternated red and white sixlet candies all around border on each dot.

This cake would be perfect for other celebrations too:

• a lingerie shower
• a pool party (make it look for like a swim suit)
• a swim team party
• a tropic or luau themed engagement party or a couples shower (make one cake a bikini swim suit for woman, make another cake as swim trunks for the man)
• a bachelor party
• a bachelorette party
• a bachelor birthday party

No matter what kind of celebration you are planning, make it special by ordering (or creating) a unique cake.  

This type of cake would cost a lot of money if purchased in a bakery.  I saved myself some cash and it was a fun, creative adventure!

Happy Baking!

Under Sink Storage Solution

I've got a dirty messy little secret (and I bet you do to). Actually, I have a few but they've been hidden behind closed doors so my secret's been safe... until now.  It's time to fess up and get organized.  And, boy, do I have an endless list of areas that need organizing!  What about you?  I got the ball rolling with the closets in the boys' bedrooms.  Scary, I know.  My younger son is a mess (literally) and a pack rat!  I guess "messiness" tends to be a characteristic of the "baby" in the family.  It looked like a bomb went off in his closet.  I wondered if we would ever get to the bottom of the pile of stuff that he'd tucked away each week after "cleaning" his room.  After successfully sifting through all his stuff (and a few trash bags later), we finally got the job done.  Whew! There are still closets to be organized but I needed a break. So I moved on to a smaller job in the master bathroom - under sink cabinets.  The mess has been driving me crazy for weeks.  The transformation is pretty amazing (if I do say so myself) and the system is so functional.

Word of warning - this is one of those projects (like a house reno) where things get worse before they get better.  Just sayin'.  But the final outcome is worth the effort.  I had to pull everything (I mean everything) from the cabinet and sort the items that I intended to keep into respective piles. I used baskets for this part of the sorting process.  Think in terms of general categories - hair, skin, nails, etc.

I also had a big trash can at the ready for all the items that I purged (which was a lot). If I hadn't used an item in the last 6-9 months or it was "expired" like some old nail polish and sunscreen, I tossed it.  Other items needed to be relocated or donated.  After cleaning out the bottom of the cabinet, I had a clean slate to start the actual organizing.  Ta-dah! There's light at the end of the tunnel...

I purchased a few items at Target to help make my organization system come together - 3 plastic stackable drawers and 3 plastic baskets.  I already had a small 3-drawer unit for smaller items like nail care items, hair care products, and skin care.

You may already have something on hand to use for reorganizing.  I'm a BIG fan of drawers because they allow you to use the majority of the space.  I've utilized them in different places in our home - laundry room, pantry, office, and now bathroom.

Here's the right side of the cabinet which is home to most of my hair care items.  The basket on top holds empty travel bags for cosmetics or other items.

The left side incorporates another large drawer and the smaller 3-drawer unit on top.  I originally had the first aid and sports med items in two separate containers but I think this works better (and it's more easily accessible).

The middle section holds the two smaller plastic containers. The only rogue bottles are the extra body wash and mouth wash.

No organizing project is complete without labeling.  I can see at a glance what items are in each drawer/basket. I hope this post inspires you deal with your own messy little secret.  Go on...get that drawer, closet, or cabinet organized already!

Barn Wood Topped Side Table

A few years ago I found a couple of side tables at Target on clearance.  They were a steal at less than $15 a piece. The simple glass topped tables have a black metal base in a transitional style which can easily work in a traditional or more clean lined room.  I used them as is for a little while but always knew that I'd redo them eventually.  It really annoyed me that the glass was always covered in smudges. Destined for decorative greatness, these tables needed a new look...and pronto.  My now transformed and "newish" side tables are topped in reclaimed barn wood slats giving them a farmhouse fresh look.

Check out the BEFORE picture (below) of one of my tables.  

This one has actually spent a good bit of time on my patio which caused the finish to peel on top.  It was already a bit distressed when I purchased the tables.  No worries - I'll clean it up with a wire brush before refinishing.  But I'm debating on refinishing the bases because I like the already distressed look.  The top part of table won't even show because it will be covered with the barn wood top.

As I was walking down the wood aisle at Hobby Lobby the other day, I found these great barn wood slats for about $7 a bundle (less if you use the 40% off coupon).  It took 2 bundles for each table.  Here's how the barn wood looks up close.  Both sides have the barn wood finish so either side can be used.

I did a "dry fit" of the slats on top of table by lining up the slats along the table with about 1/2" overhang on all sides. The slats were too long for one side and needed to be cut down to 22 1/2".  That means I get to use power tools!  

I removed the slats and placed on floor. Using bass wood slats, I attached three slats (see picture below) to barn wood grouping.  I used my Easy Shot stapler using 5/16" staples to attach wood slats along back of barn wood.  The bass wood slats (24"x1"x1/8") can be found in the wood area at Hobby Lobby.  I cut them down to 17" for my table top.

After barn wood is attached together to form "table top", it's ready to cut to appropriate length with skill saw.  My length was 22.5".  My husband demonstrated how to use the skill saw and stood by as I made the cut.

I did it!  I made a straight cut (surprisingly) and didn't lose a finger in the process (whew).  The noise the saw produced was much louder than I expected so if you are doing a lot of wood working use hearing protection.  See those scraps on the floor?  I'll be using those for another simple project so stay tuned...

My barn wood top is now ready to be attached to table base.  I originally thought I'd refinish the base with a fresh coat of black paint. But the already distressed finish is growing on me and it saves me a paint job.  I carefully applied a little constructive adhesive along edge of tabletop where the slats (underneath) touch the table. I carefully placed tops to each table leaving a 1/2" overhand on each side and voila! - check out my "new" Barn Wood Topped Side Table.  

I told you those original tables were destined for greatness! If I can't have the farmhouse and barn (farmhouse sink, chickens, fresh eggs, horses...I could go on), I'll bring a little farmhouse charm into our home.

What are your farmhouse wishes?

Easy Enchilada Casserole

Baby, it's cold outside.  Well, sort of.  Although the winter solstice doesn't officially begin until December 21st, it's beginning to feel cooler down here in Texas. Finally. The low this morning was actually in the upper thirties. Woohoo! I can finally wear my puffy vest and scarf.  I know that's probably laughable to friends living in the north.  But, hey, I'll take what I can get.  

What kind of food do you like to eat when the temp drops and the weather man announces a freeze warning?  Comfort food?  Yep, me too.  I crave something warm, hearty and Mexican.  For me that translates into enchiladas.  Any kind of enchiladas - beef, chicken, or spinach.  As much as I love to eat them, I'm definitely not a fan of the messy, tedious and time-consuming process of rolling each individual enchilada.  I came up with a simplified version of enchiladas which has the same great flavor without all the work - Easy Enchilada Casserole.

I've got two versions - Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole 

and Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole.  

The only difference in ingredients is the meat and enchilada sauce.  For demonstration purposes (and dinner tonight), I made the Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole earlier today.  But my boys are begging to order pizza because it's Thursday Night Football and we did have the Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole last weekend.  Ugh!  I guess I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow. 

This is the Las Palmas enchilada sauce that I found at my local Target.  It doesn't really matter what brand but be careful to check the "heat" level because canned enchilada sauce can be very hot.  It will usually indicate mild, medium, or hot on the can.  Check the label.  I prefer mild to medium.

First things first, lightly toast the corn tortillas in nonstick skillet.  This is probably the most time-consuming part of recipe but don't skip it.  The tortillas taste better when toasted. Set aside.

Cook your meat in a large nonstick skillet adding taco seasoning and enchilada sauce.  I'm thinking I should have diced my chicken a little smaller but haven't cooked the casserole yet so I'll let you know.  

Lastly, assemble your casserole by layering sauce, tortillas, meat, cheese, and more sauce.

Repeat layer one more time then top with tortillas, sauce, and cheese.  You can cover and refrigerate before cooking later.  It's a great make ahead recipe.  You can also bake it immediately.  

With only a few ingredients (that you may already have on hand), this meal comes together quick for a busy weeknight meal.  You can have it ready to pop in the oven when you get home from a busy day at work or after a long day on the ski slopes.  

It's hearty, hot, and muy delicioso!