Snowball Coconut Cake: Recipe

Perhaps more than any other dessert I make, this seems to garner the greatest number of kudos. It is yummy (for lack of a better, more sophisticated, term) and it does look festive. The cake is moist and fluffy and the icing is incredibly sweet. Together they make a formidable pair. It is super easy to make and I admit that it uses a boxed mix as its base. I believe the secret to this recipe is in the length of time I actually mix it - if you don't believe me, try it yourself.

Snowball Coconut Cake
(adapted from Bon Appetit)

1 18.5 oz. package of Butter Golden Recipe box cake mix
3 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sweetened cream of coconut
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp. Meyer's White Rum
1 10 oz. pkg. sweetened shredded coconut
1 Lb. butter, room temperature
5 cups confectioners sugar
2-3 Tbsp. Milk
1 1/2 tsp. Coconut Extract

Preheat oven to 375. Butter and flour two 8" round pans and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine first 6 ingredients and mix on low for about 1 minute. Then mix on medium-high for about 4 minutes longer. Spread mixture between the two pans and bake about 30-35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Allow it to cool about 10 minutes in the pans and then turn out onto cooling racks and remove pans. Allow cake to fully cool.

In another bowl, cream the butter on medium-high speed, scraping down several times, if necessary. Add the extract and mix another 30 seconds. Add in half of the sugar and mix well on low then add in 2 tablespoons of the milk and mix. Add in the remaining sugar and mix on low. When it looks very dry be sure to add in a bit more milk and mix till creamy.

Spread a generous portion of the icing onto one of the cake bottoms and then top with generous portion of shredded coconut. Place the second layer on top and repeat. Ice all sides and top first then, with hands, press the coconut onto the cake.