TROPICAL BANANA POUND CAKE

I just created this delicious pound cake. I wanted to add a little twist to banana pound cake so I added rum flavoring to the batter and topped it with coconut and a wonderful caramel glaze. Needless to say, I think it is yummy! Having just eaten a piece while it was still warm, I have decided to add it to my menu for my local customers. I know it is going to taste even better when it is fully cooled and the flavors have had a chance to blend. But, I just couldn't wait. I hope you enjoy it. If you can wait until the next day to serve it, you will really enjoy it's wonderful flavor.

Cake:
3 c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
½ c. vegetable shortening
2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. rum flavoring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, mashed
5 lg. eggs, room temperature
½ c. milk
3/4 c. flaked, sweetened coconut

Rum Glaze
½ c. butter
¼ c. granulated sugar
¼ c. light brown sugar
1 tsp. rum flavoring
¼ c. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Spray a 10-inch tube baking pan with a nonstick baking spray containing flour. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift again. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, vegetable shortening, sugars, rum flavoring, and the vanilla extract on medium speed for 10 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Add the bananas. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the milk and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend the batter after each addition.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the coconut evenly on top. Bake for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Remove the pan and place the cake on a wire rack with a piece of wax paper under the rack. Spoon the glaze over the warm cake slowly to allow the glaze to soak into the cake. Cool completely before serving. Serves 16. Glaze: Place all glaze ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved, then gently simmer for about 1 minute. Use immediately.

CARAMEL SOUR CREAM FROSTING

My neighbor, who has helped me with my computer problems, requested a spice cake with caramel frosting for his birthday. I was happy to bake it for him. I love caramel frosting. It is wonderful with a yellow cake, spice cake, apple cake--yummy! Try to resist eating it out of the bowl to be sure you have enough to frost your cake!

½ c. (1 stick) butter
½ c. butterscotch morsels
½ c. packed light brown sugar
1/3 c. sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted

In small saucepan, melt the butter, morsels and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. When mixture comes to a boil, boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Place the mixture in a large mixing bowl, then gradually add the confectioners’ sugar beating with mixer on medium speed until smooth. Use to frost your favorite cake. Makes about 2 cups.

HEAVENLY COCONUT CAKE

As my thoughts turn to Spring and Easter, this cake is a favorite of mine. I do several coconut cakes but this one is just a good, old-fashioned cake. It is very moist with a delicious frosting and showered with lots of coconut. For Easter, you can dress it up by decorating the top with jelly beans and tinting some coconut to put around the rim of the cake plate. Kids of all ages will love it and love you for making it. I hope you enjoy the recipe.

Cake
3 c. sifted cake flour (measure after sifting)
1 T. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 c. granulated sugar, sifted
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. coconut extract
4 lg. eggs, room temperature
1 c. milk or half and half

Coconut Buttercream Frosting
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
¼ c. vegetable shortening
6 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
½ c. heavy whipping cream
1 ½ tsp. coconut extract
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp. light corn syrup
Garnish: 3 c. flaked, sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 3 (8-inch) or 2 (9-inch) round cake pans or spray with nonstick baking spray containing flour. Resift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract and coconut extract on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the milk or half and half, and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend the batter after each addition. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove the pans and place cakes on wire racks to cool completely. Frosting: In large mixing bowl, place the butter, vegetable shortening, 4 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, cream, coconut extract, vanilla extract and the corn syrup. With mixer on low speed beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Once all the sugar is incorporated increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes or until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. (If necessary add a little more sifted confectioners’ sugar if too thin or a little more cream if too thick). To complete cake: Spread the frosting between the layers and on top and sides of cake. Place the serving plate on a cookie sheet to catch any loose coconut as you shower the cake. Sprinkle coconut all over the cake, and then gently pat handfuls of coconut onto the sides and top to cover any bare spots. Serves 12.

LET'S THINK SPRINGTIME

I am so ready for spring. Are you? The winter in Atlanta has been long and very cold. But I was looking at the calendar and guess what? Our next holiday is Easter. It is such a fun holiday. I love the Easter Bunny, flowers, the excitement of the children hunting for their Easter egg treasures. And of course, the wonderful desserts. I will be posting dessert recipes that are perfect for spring. So please be sure to stop back and "Let's Think Spring." It is time to say bye, bye to old man winter.

MY FRIEND ANNIE

Ever consider what you wear when you bake? I took stock of my situation and it wasn't pretty. I am usually in the kitchen with an old bathrobe, heavy socks, hairnet and plastic gloves. I really do believe it is a site to behold. But my good friend, Annie, at Bags by AnnieG has come to my rescue. The truth be told, Annie makes the most beautiful aprons you have ever seen. Her fabric selections, designs, details, and meticulous work will make you feel like a Queen in the kitchen. And she even does aprons for the little ones. Annie has picked out a beautiful fabric for me and is making me an apron. I am thrilled and so looking forward to its arrival. Are you still considering what you wear? Can you picture yourself in a pretty apron? Well then, please visit Annie. Just click on the apron to take you to Annie's beautiful apron garden.

CHOCOLATE MARBLE POUND CAKE

It is a very cold and windy day here in Atlanta and it is the perfect time to bake. I love this marble pound cake and I think you will too. Always remember from my helpful hints to be sure and cream the butter and sugar for at least 10 minutes. This recipe is from my Sweet Kathleen's Cookbook. Enjoy.

3 c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
½ c. vegetable shortening
2 2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
6 lg. eggs, room temperature
1 c. milk
2 T. heavy cream
½ c. chocolate syrup

Chocolate Glaze
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
½ c. (1 stick) butter
4 T. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Spray a 12-inch Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray containing flour. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Sift again. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla extract with mixer on medium speed for 10 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the milk and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend the batter after each addition. Stir in the heavy cream.
Remove 1 cup of the batter and add the chocolate syrup making sure to blend it completely. Spread half of the remaining white batter into prepared pan. Spoon half of the chocolate mixture over the white batter, spoon remaining white batter over the chocolate batter, then top with remaining chocolate batter. Gently swirl with knife. Bake for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for about an hour. Remove the pan and place the cake on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Spoon glaze over cooled cake. Serves 16. Prepare glaze: Melt all glaze ingredients in saucepan over very low heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. If necessary strain through mesh strainer to make the glaze velvety smooth. Cool 4-5 minutes before using.

PRETTY MERINGUE KISSES

How pretty these would be for Valentinue's Day. I have included some variations for you too. Enjoy.

3 lg. egg whites, room temperature
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 c. superfine sugar (if you don't have superfine sugar, simply take granulated white sugar and process it for about 30 seconds in a food processor)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Optional: White sanding sugar
Optional: 1 drop food coloring

Preheat oven to 175 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Put egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat with the whisk attachment on low-medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar (1 T. at a time) to the egg whites. Mix on medium-high speed until very stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla. If desired fold in food coloring.

(Note: The meringue is done when it holds still peaks and when you rub a little between your thumb and index finger it does not feel gritty. If it feels gritty, the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers).

Fit a pastry bag with a small opening star tip. Fill the bag with some of the meringue. Put a dab of the meringue under each corner of the parchment on the baking sheets. This will prevent the paper from moving while you pipe the meringues onto it.

Pipe small (3/4-inch high) star shapes onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle sanding sugar over the cookies before baking, if desired. Bake 1 hour and 40 minutes until the cookies are crisp but not browned. Rotate the baking sheet from front to back about halfway through to ensure even baking.Cool completely on baking sheets on wire racks. Makes about 48 cookies.

Optional: Melt 1/2 cup coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate in a microwave until smooth. Dip the bottom of each meringue into the chocolate and place on a greased baking sheet. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Lemon Merinques
After adding vanilla, fold in 1 T. lemon zest. Continue as directed.

Mint Merinques
After adding vanilla, fold in 1 drop green food coloring and ½ cup mini-mint chocolate chips. Continue as directed.

Double Chocolate Meringues
After adding vanilla, fold in ½ c. mini-chocolate chips and 2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder. Continue as directed.

Almond Coconut Merinques
Substitute ½ tsp. almond extract for vanilla, then fold in ½ c. finely chopped toasted almonds and ½ c. toasted coconut flakes. Continue as directed.

SOMETHING NEW!

Sweet Kathleen's is happy to announce the arrival of our new Homestyle Cookbooks and Organizers. I just know you are going to love them as much as I do. The Cookbooks are filled with wonderful hometown recipes surrounded by original artwork and include tips, hints and ideas on each page as well. And you are going to LOVE how organized your life will be with our handy Organizers.

Please click on the book to visit.