Classic Dessert Cakes

1.23.2014

Classic Dessert Cakes

In the past several months, I have enjoyed making (and adjusting) some classic cake recipes.

It is a slight departure from my usual "decorated" cakes.

Although my decorated cakes taste as good as they look (if I may say so myself), the realm of classic dessert cakes shifts the focus entirely to flavor.

Sour Cream Coconut Cake

My latest classic cake was the Sour Cream Coconut Cake. This cake is VERY easy as it starts with a box mix. If you have a scratch recipe for a very tasty vanilla or butter cake, feel free to use it. I may try it with a scratch vanilla butter cake recipe I have next time.

You need to plan ahead for this cake as a big part of the flavor requires that it sit in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Here is a link to the recipe: Sour Cream Coconut Recipe

Here is what I did different (or would next time):

When I mixed the filling as the recipe directed, it seemed to "loose" to me. I thought I would let it refrigerate overnight and see if it firmed up a bit. It didn't. My mother-in-law has made this cake many times so I called her to ask if this was how it was supposed to look. She said she always adds extra coconut to the filling to thicken it up a bit, so that is what I did. I also would probably cut back a little on the sugar in the filling (maybe 1-1/4 cups vs. the 2 cups called for). I added about half of a 7 oz. package of dry coconut to the filling to make it a bit thicker.

Once the layers were stacked and frosted, I took some of the dry coconut and applied it to the sides and top. There is no "non-messy" way to do this, but I think it came out looking pretty good.

Here are some of the other classic cakes I have made lately with links on how to make them.