HOME-AWAY-FROM-HOME– Jackie (Mom) and I drive over to visit our lifelong friends, Teresa and her mom, Barbara. They are two of our favorite people on this Earth. They may as well be family. They’re both great story tellers– so full of life, so fun to be around. They also happen to be wonderful Southern cooks.

After second helpings of Teresa’s , good-for-your-soul Southern lunch, we retire to the living room to curl up on the couches to talk about life.

Teresa carries out small plates of coconut cake squares– luscious bites of dense, moist cake, piled high with snow white icing and shredded coconut. Barbara tells about helping her mom make coconut cake as a child. It surprises me that there were always coconuts available in the fall and winter down South. She says what she misses most about using fresh coconuts versus today’s frozen and pre-shredded coconut, is the stream of sweet clear coconut milk that her mom would pour onto and into the cake after she baked it.

Sitting together in that cozy room, sharing food and laughter with good friends that we’ve loved all of our lives, the hot cup of coffee and coconut confection satiate our souls.

When we go to leave, Teresa packs up plates for our husbands along with another square of cake. Friends don’t let friends leave without cake.

Click “More” for the Recipe

Coconut Cake

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1 pkg. White (or Butter) Cake Mix
1 can Cream of Coconut Milk
1 can Condensed Milk
2 cups Shredded Coconut
1 (12 oz.) Cool Whip

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Make cake mix as directed on box and bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cool for 10
minutes. Poke holes in cake with a fork. Whisk together coconut milk and
condensed milk. Spoon over cake. Cool completely.

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Fold 1 1/2 cups coconut into Cool Whip. Spread on cake. Sprinkle with
remaining 1/2 cup coconut.

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Keeps well if refrigerated and covered.

Posted on November 20th, 2009 under 30 Days. 30 Posts., Issue no. 8, Sweet • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback