I love a good challenge. So I have a tasty one for you.
Deadline: Friday, July 10, 2015
Prize: The Secret Lives of Baked Goods
Here’s what you have to do:
1. Bake my version of Cakespy’s Better than Sex Cake (recipe below).
2. Post a photo on Instagram and tag @cocoinkitchen.
3. I’ll buy you a Cakespy cookbook.
Winner picked randomly on Friday July 10th. Happy baking and good luck, y’all!
Thanks to Vanilla Sugar Blog, I won myself a couple of Jessie Oleson’s Cakespy cookbooks. These are the cutest cookbooks I’ve ever seen. Since Jessie is an illustrator, she has embellished the photos in her books with cute hand-drawn characters like robots, flowers and such. Everything comes alive on the pages. Even the cookies are smiling. We were planning a visit to my friend’s house for the day and I was looking for something decadent to make for them. There are just so many tempting recipes, it is really difficult to choose just one to bake first.
So I asked a dear foodie friend to go through the books and pop little postie notes onto the pages that really looked catchy. There were so many that I had somehow missed, none of which I remember at the moment, but one that I just cannot forget. The postie on the page read “GET INTO MY BELLY!”
The page featured the BETTER THAN SEX CAKE, a claim that can only be validated by someone deemed an expert on both subjects. These zodiacs predicted behavior traits might suggest that a lot of people would find it hard to call a cake better than sex but apparently some people support this claim! Nonetheless, I had a little scan through my phonebook for different perspectives on this funny debate. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get in contact with any of the performers seen on https://www.tubev.sex/categories/1852/big-pussy, so you’ll have to take my word for it this time. I will admit with considerable confidence that I know my cakes, the best of which must have chocolate. But, this one has nothing to do with chocolate, not a speck, not even a dusting of cocoa on top.
The appeal of this sinful little number is in its tropical flavours and in its creamy layers. Coconut, vanilla custard, whipped cream and the pretty pineapple, which is rarely seen in desserts these days. Why is that, anyway? This princess of fruits has been the symbol of hospitality in America since the colonial days. Sea captains returned from the Caribbean bearing exotic spices, rum and tropical fruit. Legend holds that the captain posted a pineapple near the entrance of his home to announce his safe return and invite friends to visit for an evening of stories and toasts.
Pineapple is what makes this inviting cake so moist and devilishly delicious. Cake mixes, canned fruit, boxed pudding are not usually on my shopping list, but they do make an appearance every now and then in our kitchen. If you know anything about pineapple plantations, you know that the first crop which is the best and sweetest is reserved for canning and readily available everywhere. But, I prefer the fresh fruit which is plentiful here in California.
Here you have two options. The quickie version uses boxed vanilla cake mix, instant vanilla pudding and canned pineapple. I have also included from-scratch instructions. Which you prefer depends on how eager you are to taste this cake. Of course, everything tastes better if made from scratch, but cake mixes are really yummy nowadays – No one will ever know you cheated. Either way, once you taste have this one, you will realize you no longer need chocolate. I’m going to make you a believer.
Easiest, Sexiest Cake in the World
Inspired by Cakespy
Note: The instructions look long, but it’s actually really easy to put together this cake.
Serves 8 (or 1 who doesn’t share)
What to Get
For the Cake
1 box vanilla cake mix or homemade
3 free-range eggs
1 cup water
1 lemon, juice + zest
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 vanilla bean or 2 tsp extract
pinch salt
For the Custard
1 box instant vanilla pudding or homemade
2 cups cold milk
For the Finish
2 cups heavy cream
4 Tb powdered sugar
What to Do
Preheat oven to 350*F.
Grease and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans.
Juice and zest one lemon.
Prepare cake according to the box instructions, except when measuring the water, include the lemon juice.
Then add the lemon zest, vanilla and a pinch of salt into the mix for extra flavour.
Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and bake 20-25 minutes, until you can smell the cakes.
Make the instant pudding by stirring the mix powder with cold milk.
Chill in refrigerator while the cake is baking.
Clean and chop fresh pineapple, if using. Mash with a fork. Measure about 1 cup. Set aside.
Transfer coconut to a nonstick pan and set onto the stove at medium-high heat until fragrant and toasty.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Remove cake from oven. Use a fork to poke holes into it and top with crushed pineapple.
While the cake is cooling, whip the heavy cream with some powdered sugar.
Spread the vanilla pudding over the pineapple-top.
Spread the whipped cream over the pudding layer.
Sprinkle toasted coconut on top.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Serve with icy homemade lemonade.
I am not a religious person, but found myself praying to God, Buddha, all the gods and goddesses to give me the strength to resist cutting the cake until we arrived at my friend’s house. It was a very looooooong drive, y’all!
There are very few troubles in life that cannot be remedied with cake. No matter where I go, whatever I see and taste, I somehow always find my way back to cake. Cake announces a celebration, even on Ordinary Tuesday.
Last night, I could not wait to get out of the office, slap my apron on and hit my baking station. Everything the recipe called for was already in my pantry. It was just so simple to make and fun to set up all those pretty layers. But, I could not work fast enough to see how it tastes.
The mercury is reaching for the stars already, with the evenings steady in the high 70’s. This is not exactly the best weather for baking, but I was not about to let the thermostat stop me. My trusty little toaster oven saved me once again, because I had to see for myself what all the hubbub was all about.
Homemade is always best and with this recipe you do have that option. I made this cake again (big surprise) for my mother’s birthday. She is not a fan of coconut, but absolutely loved it. The box + can version came out delicious, too. Stock your pantry well, because this cake can be made on a whim, in a snap, as soon as you feel you need cake.
I can not honestly say whether or not this cake really is better than sex. Some may find that experience (be it with an escort from https://www.escortdirectory.com/escorts-frankfurt-197 or with a loving partner – no judgement!) is domineering for them. What I can tell you is the thing we all need is to sit on that swing on the front porch, counting stars, munching on a slice of this inviting little cake and forgetting all our troubles.
Tertúlia da Susy says
Que delicioso bolo, já comia, estou aguada.
June Baby says
That sounds amazing! Definitely a sexy cake–which I will pin to my “sexy cakes” board! 😀
vanillasugarblog says
wonderful post!
you did such a good job on this!
so easy right?
love love love!
ugoigo says
Looks amazing and tastee!!
Anonymous says
I'm dying over these recipes and photos, OMG you are a master baker woman!! I'm having my hubby make me this cake, I deserve this! 🙂 -Jill Karmach
Cocoa and Lavender says
How incredibly good this must be! Thanks fro sharing, Colette! ~ David
Mary says
Easiest Sexiest Cake – I'm interested! it certainly looks gorgeous:))
Mary
Mary says
Easiest, Sexiest Cake – I'm interested! it certainly looks gorgeous:))
Mary
Cheri Savory Spoon says
Hi Coco, love that you call it a baking station, I call each area of my kitchen a certain name. Great recipe!
COCO JZ says
Thanks! Hope you try it.
COCO JZ says
Oh, yes. And just so yummy. Thanks again, Dawn. xo
COCO JZ says
I'll have to bake one for you since YOU are the one who picked it out for me! xo
COCO JZ says
You're so cute. You give me too much credit, Jill. I only do easy things.
You do deserve this cake. Glad your hubby made it for you. xoxo
COCO JZ says
D, you'd love this. Pls bake one!
COCO JZ says
I'm a terrible liar. So you can trust me when I say it really is yummy. xo
COCO JZ says
How cute! That's awesome. The baking station is the only area I've really designated a purpose. One day, when we reno our kitchen, it'll be a lot more organized with other stations! Thanks for stopping by. xo
Zoe says
Hi Coco,
I always thought the better than sex cake is Paula Deen's recipe but not sure who is the originator now :p
Nevermind… As long as this cake is better than sex. Who cares? :p
Agree that homemade is always better! High-five!!!
Zoe
COCO JZ says
Z, I did see that Paula had this rx. No idea who thought it up, but the first time I saw it was in the Cakespy book. Hope you make it – this one will be snap compared to all the amazing things you usually bake. Have a great w/end! xo
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Colette, nice choice for a wonderful cake – it certainly looks light and delicious and like such a treat to share with family and friends! These cookbooks sound wonderful and the illustrations are indeed quite cute!
Cocoa and Lavender says
Wonderful post, dear friend! Alas, I won't get to bake this for a while as we are traveling without my «batterie de cuisine!» Can't wait to try it, though! xox
Janine Waite says
I love this recipe! It is so heavenly and delicious! Ooo, just reading this and seeing the fab photos makes me want a piece! Great post, Colette!
Zoe says
Hi Coco,
I'm sorry that I have not bake this cake at this weekend. My apology!
Zoe