Rose's Famous Coconut Cake

## Book Reference

Sugar Cookie Murder

Preheat oven to 325°F, rack in the middle position.

*A note from Hannah: Rose McDermott called to give me this recipe the day before I had to turn everything in to our editor. This has come close to convincing me that the man in the red suit with the sleigh is real. Tracey asked for seven things in her letter to Santa, and she got three of them. If she gets that puppy she wants, I'm a believer.*

### Ingredients

#### Cake

* 1 1/2 cups softened butter *(3 sticks)*
* 2 cups white *(granulated)* sugar
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup sour cream\*\*\* *(you can substitute plain yogurt for a lighter cake)*
	+ \*\*\* Measuring sour cream is messy—it's easier just to buy the one-cup *(half-pint)* container and use the whole thing.
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon coconut extract *(if you can't find it, you can use vanilla)*
* 1 3/4 cup flour *(not sifted)*
* 2 cups flaked or shredded coconut *(pack it down when you measure it—more is better in this case)*

'

#### Coconut Glaze

* 1 cup powdered sugar *(confectioners' sugar)*
* 1/4 cup heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon coconut extract *(or 1/2 teaspoon coconut, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla)*
* 1/4 cup coconut flakes

### Directions

#### Cake

* Preheat oven to 325°F, rack in the middle position.
* Generously grease *(or spray with non-stick cooking spray)* a Bundt pan. Dust it liberally with flour and knock off the excess.
* Cream softened butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. *(You can mix this cake by hand, but it takes some muscle.)* Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until they're light and fluffy. Then add the sour cream, baking powder and coconut extract.
* Put the flour and the coconut in a food processor. Process with the steel blade until the mixture looks like fine cornmeal. *(You don't have to do this if you don't have a food processor, but most folks like it better.)*
* Add half the flour/coconut mixture to the bowl. Mix thoroughly. Add the rest of the flour/coconut combination and mix until the batter is smooth.
* Let the batter rest for five minutes or so. Then pour it into the Bundt pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula.
* Bake at 325°F for 60 to 70 minutes. The cake should be golden brown on top and a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake ring should come out clean.
* Cool in the pan on a rack for 25 minutes. Run a knife around the the inside edges of the cake to loosen it and don't forget to loosen it around the funnel in the middle of the pan. Turn the cake out on the rack and let it cool completely.
* When the cake is completely cool, glaze it with Coconut Glaze.

#### Coconut Glaze

* If the powdered sugar has big lumps, sift it. Otherwise, use it as it is. Put the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Add the heavy cream and the coconut extract. Stir until smooth. *(If you can't get it smooth, you may need to heat it for thirty seconds or so in the microwave on HIGH, and then stir again.)*
* If the glaze is too thick to pour over the cake, thin it with a little more cream. If the glaze is too thin, thicken it with a bit more powdered sugar.
* Drizzle the glaze over the crest of the cake and let it drop down the sides. Sprinkle the cake with the coconut before the glaze dries.

*Mother's been after Rose for years to use my Chocolate Glaze on this cake. (You can find it in Lady Hermoine's (Hannah's) Chocolate Sunshine Cake recipe.) She even took Rose the recipe. Rose liked it a lot, and now she offers two cakes, one with Coconut Glaze and the other with Chocolate Glaze.*

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.