Showing posts with label cakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cakes. Show all posts

Coconut Cake & Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Hi! This is Mat, Jen's husband. This is the recipe from a photo that appeared on Jen's Instagram last night. 

Jen is fasting from coffee and chocolate for 21 days, so by the end of the day she's looking for something sweet to and I thought this would do the trick. It's pretty easy to make from scratch but if you're nervous about the cake part, you can always substitute a mix. Plus it's also no milk, low fat & half the sugar.


(photo via instagram)

Also, this is a recipe for a very small batch. We're only a couple and making big batches is so wasteful so I prefer to make only a few at a time. This should make about 5 cakes.

Coconut Cake
1/2 C granulated sugar
4 Tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
2 egg whites
1 tsp coconut or vanilla extract
3/4 C cake flour (use sifted all-purpose if not available)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 C coconut, rice or soy milk
3/4 C shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the sides and bottom of six cups in a cupcake tin with butter.  Cream the butter and sugar. Once creamed, beat in the egg whites one at a time, then add the extract. Add the flour and baking powder and mix until creamy, then add the "milk" and coconut and finish mixing.

Evenly distribute between the cups until they are 2/3 full. Bake for 17-20 minutes. Be sure to cool completely before frosting.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
2 egg whites
1/2 C granulated sugar
12 Tbs unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cut the butter into 1 Tbsp chunks and leave out so it reaches room temperature. In a metal bowl, add the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl into simmering water (leave on the heat) and whisk slowly until the mix is hot to the touch (about 140°F). Remove from heat, and using mixer with wire whisk, beat for 2 mins producing soft peaks. Change to a paddle mixer. Add 1/2 of the butter and beat for 1 minute, add the remaining butter and beat another minute. Add the vanilla and beat 1/2 minute more.

Once the cakes have cooled, you can frost them. The frosting doesn't have to be perfect - in fact just a nice spoonful on top of each cake served with some berries on the side works fine.


(photo via instagram)




Google+ Pinterest

MY Guy & Valentine's Day...(Via Made By Girl)

There's something really SPECIAL about a man who shows his LOVE for a woman. Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to marry a 'GOOD' man who showed the world he loved me. I went through MANY CRUSHES including one on SPIDERMAN - that never went anywhere!

Oh yes & RICKY Schroder, remember him?!?! (Silver Spoons). I even wrote Ricky a letter letting him know that I LOVED him & I was the girl for him. In fact, I even I told him I wanted to MARRY HIM! I mailed that letter one summer & never heard back....guess he didn't  feel the same way. 

Well, all my CRUSHES weren't TV guys, they also extended into real life. The REAL LIFE crushes I had were just that, crushes. I'd fall in love (usually from a distance, cause I was super shy) & the guy wouldn't even know it. Ever gone through that?!? That's the worst.  That happened to me for about 4 years in HIGH SCHOOL. The day I finally got the COURAGE to tell him I "REALLY REALLY REALLY" liked him, he was already taken. Figures.   

Needless to say, I learned MY LESSON that day:  always seize the moment.

These days I can rest assured that I no longer have to feel that feeling of having my heart broken or being told we aren't compatible....or even the CRAPPY realization that HE chose someone else over me. 

This Valentine's Day I AM LOVED by a man who is not afraid to show it. He goes far & beyond to bring a smile to my face and I'm thankful to God. No matter what field you're in, what type of JOB you have or don't, LOVE is something we all dream about & long for.
The reason I think 'we' still work is because we don't forget to do those little things that most people (after a few years together) take for granted.  That is what helps our LOVE grow....

We've been together for several years now & I still look forward to his arrival from work every afternoon.



When I woke up this morning, he had all these cut outs with the word "LOVE" all over my desk, bed, and bathroom. He's done this in the past & I love it.



This is the 3 layer cake he made me the night before Valentine's Day. I showed him a recipe I saw on Sweetapolita & he told me he was going to make it for me. He sure did!

Ok, it's not the SAME amazing ribbon frosting Rosie used, but his effort was genuine & sweet! It's a butter cream frosting with dark chocolate cake.....& it was delicious! Wish I could share some WITH ALL of you!!



Some of you had asked me if my guy was a chef....he isn't. He did take some culinary courses in college though & his mom is a pastry chef in Hawaii. So, she did teach him a few things....lucky me.

above: I sneaked a quick pic of him (from my iphone)  making my cake....
 

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you & to my sweet guy xoxo.




-images by jen ramos



Google+ Pinterest