Banana Coco-Berry Cake

I ache, I ache to bake a cake.  There’s not much else I wish to make.

I do not want a chocolate shake.  I really want to want to eat some cake.

Eggs, flour, sugar and spice.  A piece of love in every slice.

Coffee break, piece of cake.  Sleep at night, wake and bake.

Frostings are the dreamy glue. Cream cheese, butter, whipped cream too.

Past the bakery I will brake, but only for a slice of cake.

Pound cake, bundt cake, upside down. Eat them, eat them all over town.

One piece, two piece, three piece, four. Oh no!  My jeans just tore.

Seven years of higher education and I reduce myself to this!  Well, it all started with Dr. Suess so I guess I have come full circle – not sure that’s such a good thing.  About the cake! I love this summer cake because the whipped cream frosting keeps it cool and it is never too sweet.  It is simple to bake and, with just a few accoutrements, always makes a favorable impression on your guests.

Although this recipe is made from scratch, if you are running short on time, follow the directions on a ready-made white cake mix and just add the coconut milk, vanilla and coconut flakes.

Cake Recipe

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups baker’s sugar (ultrafine)

2 sticks butter (room temperature)

4 eggs

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 3 9″ round cake pans and set them aside.

In a mixer, whip the butter until it is fluffy.  Add the sugar and mix for 5 minutes on medium high.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the eggs, one at a time until the mixture is creamy.  Add the vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Alternating, add the flour mixture and coconut milk to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl.

Pour evenly into the baking pans making sure to get rid of any air bubbles and to even out the tops. You can do this by holding the pans a few inches above your counter top and then letting them drop.  Set the pans in the middle of your oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until tops are light brown.  Take the pans out of the oven and let them sit for five minutes before inverting them onto a cooling rack.

Frosting

3 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup of powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a mixer, add heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla and whip on high until the mixture is thick and creamy.  Set aside in refrigerator.

Filling

2 Bananas (sliced thin)

3 cups strawberries (sliced thin)

1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

1 bunch of mint for garnish (washed and dried)

Toast the coconut.  Place the first cake layer on your cake dish.  Frost with the whipped cream mixture.  Gently place a layer of

strawberries, and then a layer of bananas on top of the whipped cream.  Place the second layer of cake on top of the fruit.  Frost the layer and proceed with layering the fruit. Put the final layer of cake on top of the fruit and frost the entire cake.  Finally, sprinkle the top of the cake with the toasted coconut flakes.  Garnish the bottom of the cake and cake dish with strawberries, fresh mint leaves and toasted coconut flakes.