Coconut Cake

I was inspired to make the coconut cake Tania made on her blog recently.  I remember my Mum baking this cake often, it was my brother's favourite choice of birthday cake. When we were younger each year for our birthday we were able choose what we wanted for dinner and dessert,  it was something I always looked forward to. It's my birthday next week, I think I might need to come up with something yummy to have for dinner and dessert for me;)  Since it was my brother's birthday last week, I think I might just pop by to visit him at work and give him some as a little surprise. 

If you would like to give the coconut cake a try for yourself, this is the recipe I used out of the Country Women's Association Cookbook 2.

125g butter, softened

1 cup caster sugar

½ teaspoon coconut essence

2 eggs

½ cup desiccated coconut

1½ cups self-raising flour, sifted

300g sour cream

⅓ cup milk

Coconut-Ice Frosting 

2 cups icing sugar

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1⅓ cups desiccated coconut

Pink food colouring

Grease a 23cm round cake tin, then line base with paper.  Cream butter and sugar, add coconut essence, then beat in eggs one at a time, combining well.  Stir in half the coconut and sifted flour with half the sour cream and milk, then stir in remaining ingredients.  Bake in a moderate oven for about 1 hour.  When cool, ice with coconut-ice frosting.

To make frosting, combine sifted icing sugar with egg whites, mix well, add coconut and a little colouring.

Do you have a special ritual you do to celebrate your birthday? I'd love to hear your ideas.♥