All-New Cake Mix Doctor - Anne Byrn [115]
SPECIAL TOUCHES
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1. Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. Measure out 3 tablespoons of the juice and place it in a small bowl for the glaze. Place the pineapple and the remaining juice in a large mixing bowl and set it aside. Stir the cream of coconut in its can, measure out ½ cup, and place this in the small bowl with the 3 tablespoons of pineapple juice. Pour the remaining cream of coconut into the large bowl with the pineapple. Stir 2 tablespoons of the rum into the small bowl with the pineapple juice and cream of coconut and set the glaze aside.
2. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist a 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust it with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pan aside.
3. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs, and the remaining ½ cup of rum in the large bowl with the pineapple and cream of coconut. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 1½ minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. The batter should look smooth and thick. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the top with the rubber spatula, and place the pan in the oven.
4. Bake the cake until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 43 to 48 minutes. Transfer the Bundt pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Leave the oven on.
5. Place ¼ cup of the flaked coconut in a baking pan and place it in the oven to toast until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the coconut and set it aside to cool for the garnish.
6. Run a long, sharp knife around the edges of the cake, shake the pan gently, and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Using a wooden skewer, poke 12 to 16 holes in the top of the cake. Slowly spoon the glaze over the warm cake. Let the cake cool to room temperature, 20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, make the topping: Place a medium-size mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in the freezer for 5 minutes. Remove the bowl and beaters from the freezer and pour the cream into the chilled bowl. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in the remaining ¾ cup of coconut. Pile the topping onto the top of the cake and sprinkle it with the reserved toasted coconut. Slice and serve the cake.
Keep It Fresh! Store this cake, in a cake saver, without the whipped cream topping for up to three days. Freeze the cake, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to six months. Let the cake thaw overnight on the counter before adding the topping and serving.
Note: Cream of coconut is sold where you find the ingredients for tropical drinks. Be sure to shake the can before opening, and stir the contents before using, as it settles in storage.
Craving More Coconut Flavor?
Use coconut-flavored instant pudding mix instead of vanilla or add 1 teaspoon of coconut flavoring to the cake batter.
MARGARITA CAKE
serves:
12 to 16
prep:
25 minutes
bake:
42 to 47 minutes
cool:
45 to 50 minutes
THIS CAKE WAS ALL THE BUZZ on the Cake Mix Doctor community board as readers were weighing in on its merits and giving others advice on what ingredients to use. I had to give it a try! And lo and behold—it actually tastes like a margarita with the lime juice, triple sec, and tequila. To give it that margarita in a glass look, I garnished the top of the cake with thin lime slices and the coarsest decorating sugar I could find.
For the cake
Vegetable oil spray, for misting the pan
Flour, for dusting the pan
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow, vanilla, or lemon cake mix
Half of a package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix (4 tablespoons)
¼ cup