April is the best month!

April is my favourite month, and yes, it's because my birthday is this month. And so is The Southerner's. Now that we have SS only once a month, if there are any birthdays, then we have cake and The Southerner wanted an old fashioned coconut cake like his grandmother used to make. I had never made one before, which would be obvious to anyone who has, when I said, "Sure. No problem." Because, you know, cracking that stupid coconut is NOT as easy as they make it look on Youtube (but just as dangerous). However, I did it. Yesterday. This morning I noticed our cat, Sophie (who also has an April birthday), playing with a chunk of stray coconut that had apparently gone flying yesterday when I hit it with a hammer.

Anyway, we had cake!

In addition to making the actual cake layers (with homemade lemon curd - this is so easy you should never buy lemon curd in a jar) I also made coconut whipped cream frosting. I have to admit, the frosting is what got me really excited. I don't really like frosting, and while we do eat eggs, we don't generally eat dairy, so I have not had whipped cream in a really long time, but it's the only kind of frosting I really like (except cream cheese, and I can make a vegan cashew cream cheese icing to live for!) so I was flummoxed about how to frost this cake. But then Google saved the day.

All you have to do is get a can of coconut milk (not light) and put it in the fridge for a while. Also, chill your bowl and beater. When it's good and cold, open the can and cut a hole through the thickened coconut cream so you can drain the liquid out (use it to soak the cake layers for extra moisture). Then you simply put the coconut cream into your cold bowl and beat it on high for about 5-6 minutes, add powdered sugar (I used 1/3 cup, sifted) and keep beating it. It is AMAZING (If you are vegan, you have to make sure you use vegan sugar or some other sweetener). It was soooooo delicious! After I frosted the cake, I did chill it for thirty minutes before adding the fresh coconut to the top and sides because it seemed like it was starting to melt a little, but in the end, it held up great.

So many people came today, I'm not going to mention everyone, but I will say that the soup was Curried Cauliflower Rice and the bread was foccacia. Also, some of the guests brought yummy things like gingerbread, wheat bread, and chips and dip. So thanks to everyone and if your birthday is in May, let me know! As of right now, I don't have any on my list and we don't want to miss an opportunity for cake.

Happy Birthday to Sophie (the cat), The Southerner, The Fleece Lady, The Chef, Kim of The Brouhahas, My Agent, and everyone else in April (see how I covered myself there?). Have a slice of cake! It's fresh!