Way back in 2012, I took a coconut cake baking class at the community college. It was an evening class with a very chatty instructor, so it ran late into the night and I was tired by the end. Long story short, I forgot to take the recipe hand-out sheet when I left.
Dang. It was an interesting recipe, made with sweetened cream of coconut. I have tried many other coconut cake recipes over the years. There are hundreds on the Internet-- all different and some better than others.
Anyway, I tried a new recipe this morning for John's Valentine present. The ingredients are pretty basic, although I substituted thick coconut cream for the coconut milk. The most expensive thing in this cake was the tiny bottle of coconut extract, which is sold as liquid gold.
Oh yes. The plant in the background is from Trader Joes. Like Costco, I feel like I deserve a little reward for navigating that parking lot and store.
It is a Stephanotis floribunda, or Madagascar Jasmine, and something you don't often see in pots.
In another lifetime, when I worked in the florist trade, we made labor intensive bridal bouquets by wiring the fragrant individual blossoms. One sniff took me back to the 1980's Frederick and Nelson Department Store, and the little flower shop inside the front door.
No one could walk by without exclaiming "how good it smells." Of course to us, the flower shop just smelled like hard work.
Wishing you a sweet and hopefully fragrant holiday weekend.
