Rave Reviews Coconut Cake

A special friend shared this recipe with me many years ago but it's still a favorite choice for any special occasion-- especially December birthdays!

Rave Reviews Coconut Cake


1 package (2 layer size) yellow cake  mix
1 package (4 servings) Jello Brand    Instant Pudding
11/3 cup water
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
2 cups Bakers Angel Flake Coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Blend cake mix, pudding mix,water, eggs and oil in large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed for four minutes. Stir in coconut and nuts. Pour into 3 greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes; cool in pans 15 minutes, then remove and cool on rack. Fill and top with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

4 Tablespoons butter
2 cups Bakers Angel Flake Coconut
1 package 8 ounce cream cheese
2 teaspoons milk
31/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet; add coconut, stirring constantly over low heat until golden brown.  Spread coconut on absorbent paper to cool. Cream 2 tablespoons butter with cream cheese; add milk, beat in sugar gradually. Blend in vanilla.Stir in 1 3/4 cups of the coconut, and spread on tops of cake layers. Stack and sprinkle with remaining coconut.

Optional: I spread icing between the layers, on top and the sides.

Dairymom's Butter Tradition

A few weeks ago, while standing in the grocery check-out line, I spotted the new Taste of Home Cookies recipe book. I couldn't resist adding it to my collection and so glad I did!  Lemon Butter Spritz, a recipe submitted by Iola Egle of Bella Vista,AR,   turned out to be a perfect recipe for my first experience using the new cookie press that I happily brought home from the  Dirty Santa  Game I participated in  last week at a family Christmas gathering.

I'm pretty sure these buttery cookies will become part of my Christmas cookie tradition after today's experience! 

Lemon Butter Spritz

1 cup butter,softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tablespoons baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 Tablespoons whole milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light an fluffy. Beat in the egg,lemon juice and peel. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Using a cookie press fitted with a bar disk, form dough into long strips on ungreased baking sheets. Cut each strip into 2 1/4-inch pieces (do not separate pieces).
Bake 5-7 minutes or until set (do not brown). Cut into pieces again if necessary. Remove to wire racks to cool.
For glaze,in a small bowl, combine the sugar,cocoa,vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over cookies. Let stand until set.

Yield: 4 1/2 dozen

                                                                             

Thanksgiving Butter Up

Have you tried to butter up your turkey? I know there are many ways to cook a turkey, but I was intrigued by this Dairy Makes Sense  special blend of butter for turkey basting, vegetable seasoning or serving with hot bread. Not only can you try it for Thanksgiving--you may want to share it as a Christmas gift!

Sage,Rosemary, and Thyme Butter

Ingredients:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter,softened
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Combine ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon into an airtight container; store in refrigerator.

Recipe Variations: Use your favorite herbs and/or spices to flavor unsalted butter. Add your own salt to taste. We purchased a combination package of "poultry blend" herbs--sage, rosemary, and thyme--making it super easy to prepare this flavored butter. Sage,Rosemary, and Thyme Butter can be used as a rub to flavor and moisten your holiday turkey. Also, add flavored butter to season any vegetable or serve with hot bread. Give as a gift in an airtight decorative container with lid.

Dairymom Molded by Buttery Traditions

November is a time of transition on the dairy farm as we finish harvesting our fall crops,plant wheat and rye crops for spring forage and prepare for the winter months on the farm. It also marks the twenty-eighth year of my life on the farm which has been molded by the blessings of farm family traditions. I have transitioned from a city girl that learned the hard way that dairy farmers don't eat margarine to dairymom that uses only sweet creamy butter!

Even though it's recommended to keep butter refrigerated, the butter dish stays on our table all the time to assure the dairy farmer has easy access and spread ability for every slice of bread, homemade roll  or hot biscuit consumed. That happens to be one of the dairymom traditions that I've grown to love because the presence of the butter dish always on the table  was my sweet mother-in-law's tradition and reminds me every day  how blessed I am to live and work on our family dairy farm.

Butter is a staple at our house year round and holiday baking and cooking just don't happen without it! In fact, I'm  stocking up this week in preparation for the holidays  and thinking about baking this family favorite--Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake. It goes great with ice cream or fruit salad or both!

Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 cup butter,softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
1  8 ounce package cream cheese,softened
3 cups sifted flour
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Cream butter and shortening; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of electric mixer.
Add cream cheese,beating well until light and fluffy. Alternately add flour and eggs, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until pick comes out clan. Cool in pan 10 minutes, remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

                                                                    

Holiday Butter Tradition

Although I use butter year round, holiday baking with butter is part of my holiday tradition in the kitchen. My schedule is busy year round with farm,family, and volunteer activities but I will always find time to make special desserts that my family and friends enjoy. As I studied the pile of laundry, the dirty house and the stack of unopened mail facing me after returning from attending the Arkansas Farm Bureau Convention, I then remembered the Sunday School Christmas party that was planned for the evening. What's a dairy mom to do? Get the recipes out and start looking for something easy, quick and delicious! In case you find your self in this situation, I am sharing this special recipe with you. Butter is a main ingredient in Almond Cake Squares providing rich flavorful taste. It is a great recipe for any event and looks pretty presented on a fancy pedestal cake stand or festive holiday plate. Santa might even enjoy these with a glass of milk!

Almond Cake Squares

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup melted butter

Almond Topping

Combine eggs and sugar; beat with electric mixer until thick and lemon colored. Stir in flour and butter; pour batter into greased and floured 13x9x2inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Spread Almond Topping over cake; broil cake 4 inches from heat 3-5 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly. Cool on wire rack; cut into 2 inch squares. Yield:2 dozen

Almond Topping

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp milk

Combine all in small saucepan; cook over low heat,stir constantly till sugar is dissolved and mixture thickens.