Coconut Cream Cake

I had a successful dessert with that flourless chocolate cake, so figured it couldn't be that difficult to make another dessert that looks just as good as it tastes. WRONG!! I had 2 recipes for Coconut Cream Cake and frosting, so used the cake & filling from one cookbook and the 7 minute frosting idea from the other, since I didn't have enough whipping cream left to do the other frosting. Baking the cake was fine. Making the coconut cream filling was fine. Even splitting the layers was fine. Then the problem began....stacking and layering the filling. So, OK it wasn't a disaster yet! Just tricky since I had so much cream filling between the layers.

Then I began making that 7 minuted cooked frosting. You add the hot sugar mixture into whipped egg whites and beat it for 7 minutes. Well. I was still beating it 30 minutes later!! Finally it looked like it might just hold together so I frosted it, sprinkled the top with coconut and rushed it to the refrigerator in the garage. The cake filling needs to be kept cool. Of course, the frosting on the sides began oozing ever downward. I knew I was in trouble but it was almost bedtime so it would have to wait until the next afternoon since I had a hair appointment in the morning. I needed this cake finished and ready to take to Dorene's house for dinner with a dozen or so of her friends by 4:15. YIKES!! I'm glad I don't decorate cakes professionally! What a stress that would be.

2 pm. Scraped off the sides of the cake and cleaned up the cardboard base, but left the top in tact. Made more 7 minute frosting. Just a tad bit different recipe, but still needed to be whipped for 7 minutes. This time, I thought I had it nailed! But, as you can see in the photo, some of the frosting sagged a bit! No time to fret or try to make another dessert. By golly, I was going to make this work!! Sharron picked me up and off we went, cake sitting on my lap the whole way there. And it is a HEAVY, calorie-ridden cake!

Luckily, all the ladies were kind and told me how "beautiful" the cake was! I know different, but it did taste good in spite of itself. You can bet I won't be making this cake again! Talk about labor intensive!

It was a good time together and we all drove from dinner at Dorene's in Seattle to the Issaquah Theater to hear local harpist (from Sultan, WA) Bronn Journey in his annual Christmas concert. If you haven't been before, check out his website, sign up for email reminders and GO NEXT YEAR!! His wife sings and has an exquisite voice.               http://www.bronnjourney.com

Next year I think I will volunteer to bring an appetizer. Like crackers and cheese! How tough can that be??