For Easter yesterday I made a delicious homemade Coconut Cake.

My sister-in-law, Katie, asked if I could make a Coconut Cake for Easter to remember her Grandmother’s cake that was always on the table each year when visiting her Grandmother’s home.

There is nothing like a homemade cake and memories of childhood with your Grandmother on Easter.

This cake is so incredibly delicious and I guarantee you won’t be able to eat just one slice! I had two 😋

Coconut Cream Cake

Cake Ingredients

21/2 Cups Cake Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Salt

3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened

1 2/3 Cups Granulated Sugar

5 Large Egg Whites, Room Temperature

1/2 Cup Sour Cream, Room Temperature

2 teaspoons Almond Extract

1 Cup Canned Coconut Milk

1 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

8 ounces (1 Brick) Cream Cheese, Softened at Room Temperature

1 Cup Unsalted Butter, Softened at Room Temperature

5 Cups Confectioners Sugar

2 Tablespoons Coconut Milk

1/2 teaspon Almond Extract

2 Cups Unsweetened Shredded Coconut for the Topping

Pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 regular sized round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and whisk. Set the bowl aside.

In a large bowl, use a hand-held or stand alone mixer to beat the butter and granulated sugar together until smooth and creamy.

Add the egg whites and beat until combined.

Add the sour cream and almond extract. Beat until combined.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and add the coconut milk. Beat until combined.

Add the shredded coconut and mix. I mixed by hand really well to make sure the mixture was smooth and no lumps.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 21-24 minutes or until you insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and it comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool for at least 15-20 minutes before removing from the pan. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Directions for the Frosting

In a large bowl use a hand-held or stand alone mixer to beat the butter and cream cheese together until creamy and smooth. Add in the confectioners sugar, coconut milk, almond extract and mix well until at your desired consistency. Add more confectioners sugar if too thin or a little bit more coconut milk if too thick.

When the cakes are completely cool – assemble and frost the entire cake – including the middle layer. Add shredded coconut to the top.

Slice and enjoy 😉

The Girl Scouts were officially founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912. Girl Scout cookies began in 1917 as a fundraiser by a troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The very first recipes were published in 1922 and commercial baking started in 1934. The first cookies made were a sugar cookie…and the rest is history.

I was a Girl Scout for several years. Started off as a Brownie and went all of the way to a Cadet. My mother was my troop leader the entire time. So many fun memories with my mother of attending meetings…working on badges together…camping and of course selling cookies.

My ultimate favorite of the Girl Scouts cookies have always been the Dosido’s. I’m such a huge peanut butter cookie lover!

So of course, it was so much fun making my own version of my favorite Girl Scout cookie in the kitchen tonight. Even better was making them with my childhood friend, Erin ❤️

Ingredients

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed

3/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Butter, Softened at Room Temperature

2 Large Eggs

2 TBSP Milk

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1 3/4 Cups Quick Cooking Oats

1 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut

For the Filling:

3 Cups Confectioners Sugar

3/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1/3 Cup Milk

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your baking sheets by lining with parchment. Set aside.

In a large bowl, use a hand-held mixer to beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter until creamy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Set the bowl aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, coconut and oats. Set the bowl aside.

Add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture, beating at low speed until well blended. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes until the dough is firm.

Drop by level tablespoon onto the prepared sheets and space 2-inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes before removing to a cooking rack to cool completely.

Time to make the filling:

In a medium bowl, use a hand-held mixer to beat all of the filling ingredients together until the mixture is creamy. If you need to, add a drop or two more of milk to get the proper consistency.

Place about 1-2 tablespoons of filling onto half of the cookies (on the bottom side) and top with another cookie and press so the filling shows around the edges. Yummy!

One of former President Clinton’s favorite meals (besides a McDonald’s cheeseburger back in the day!) has been Chicken Enchilada’s. I was able to stumble upon his favorite recipe and I have to say they are quite delicious and I can understand how this recipe would be his favorite.

They were pretty easy to make too and if you are feeling like making a Mexican type dinner – I highly recommend!

Homemade Apple Crisp

Ingredients

6 Medium Apples (I used 3 Honeycrisp and 3 Granny Smith) peeled, cored, and sliced.

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

For the Topping;

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed

1 Cup Chopped Walnuts

1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Pinch of Salt

1 Stick Melted Butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter.

Add the apples evenly into the baking dish. Add the lemon juice and fold to coat.

In a medium bowl, add the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt and mix. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples evenly. Set the dish aside.

It’s time to make the topping.

In a separate bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Stir the melted butter into the ingredients.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over top of the apples.

Bake for 55 minutes to an hour until the topping is slightly crisp and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature.

It’s really incredibly delicious topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream 😋

Hoe Cakes

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten 

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup melted butter lightly cooled

Vegetable oil or bacon grease for frying

Directions

In a large bowl add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt and whisk together really well. 

Make a hole/well in the center of the mixture and add in the beaten eggs, buttermilk, water, and melted butter and mix until thoroughly combined.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil (I use butter) in a cast iron skillet or frying pan on medium-high heat.

Scoop enough batter as if you are making a pancake and drop into the frying pan. 

Fry each Hoe cake until the edges start to bubble and the edges are golden brown. Flip over and fry for another couple minutes until golden brown.

Remove and serve immediately with butter, and or syrup. Or you can be like George Washington and add honey!

Today in American History…Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809.

Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Almond Cake was a favorite of the Lincoln family. The cake was often made for special family events. It is also documented as being on the dessert table at the Lincoln home in
Springfield, Illinois, for the celebration of President Lincoln being elected to the Presidency for the first time on November 6, 1860.

Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Almond Cake was a favorite of the Lincoln family.

The cake was often made for special family events. It is also documented as being on the dessert table at the Lincoln home in Springfield, Illinois, for the celebration of President Lincoln being elected to the Presidency for the first time on November 6, 1860.

Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Almond Cake

Ingredients

1 Cup blanched almonds, chopped in a tood processor until they resemble a coarse flour

1 Cup butter, softened

1 Cups granulated sugar

2 Cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 Cup whole milk

6 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Confectioners sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.

Cream butter and sugar. Sift flour and baking powder 3 times. Add to creamed butter and sugar, alternating with milk. Stir in almonds and beat well.

Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Stir in vanilla extract.

Pour into prepared pan and and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and cool. When cool, sift confectionary sugar over the top.

Rosalynn Carter’s Hushpuppies

Ingredients

1 1/4 Cups self rising cornmeal

3/4 Cup self rising flour

Salt

1 Egg, beaten

1 Cup finely chopped onions (optional)

1 Cup Buttermilk

Directions

Mix all dry ingredients together. Add egg, onion, and buttermilk.

Drop batter by small spoonfuls into deep oil. They will sink toward the bottom, then pop back to top. Turn if they don’t pop over when brown on one side. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Makes about 1 dozen.

President Millard Fillmore liked simple foods which included basically meat, potatoes and vegetables.

One of the family’s favorites was Mrs. Fillmore’s Whole Stuffed Tomatoes. Her personal recipe is from the cookbook The First Ladies Cookbook-Favorite Recipes of All the Presidents of the United States from 1965.

Abigail Fillmore’s Whole Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients

6 firm ripe tomatoes
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter or dripping
butter in dabs

Select tomatoes of equal size. Cut a piece from the stem end of each, and remove the centers, being careful not to break the wall.

For the stuffing: Use the centers of the tomatoes diced, crumbs seasoning and the butter or drippings. Mix well. Sprinkle each tomato with salt and pepper. Fill each tomato with the stuffing.

Place into baking dish. Place a dab of butter on each.

Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) until tender, about 1/2 hour.

To honor Mrs. Parks birthday today, I made her Featherlight Pancake recipe. They are light and delicious – just like the name of the recipe! 😋

Rosa Parks Featherlight Pancake Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1¼ cups whole milk

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 tablespoon shortening, melted, or any neutral oil, like canola (I used butter!)

Directions

In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix.

In a separate bowl, combine the egg, whole milk, and peanut butter. Whisk together until combined.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix well until combined.

Add the shortening or oil to a skillet and melt. Spoon about one-fifth of the batter into the pan and make into a 4-inch pancake.

Cook for about 2 minutes until golden or bubbles form around the edges.

Use a spatula to gently lift the pancake and flip over to the other side.

Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes until cooked through and golden-brown.

Repeat with the rest of the batter and serve warm with butter and syrup.

This is probably one of the easiest sweet treats I’ve ever made. Simple ingredients. Delicious! They are perfect to just grab on the go and enjoy.

Peanut Butter Oat No Bakes

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, creamy peanut butter, and honey or maple syrup. Stir until well combined.

If adding chocolate chips, fold into the mixture.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Evenly distribute the mixture into the muffin cups and press down with your fingers firmly to create a compact layer.

Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the no bakes to set.

Enjoy! I bet you can’t just eat one!