Recipe of the Week: Coconut Cream Cake

This week I'm featuring an old family favorite. At Christmas time, my mom or my aunt always make a Coconut Cream Cake, but it's also a really good recipe for spring or summer as well (especially if you love coconut as much as my husband does).

I was looking at some blogs the other day, and I found a couple of people that said they hated cake mixes. Well, I used one to make this cake, but of course, if you prefer you can make a homemade white or yellow sheetcake cake rather than using a mix. I personally like the convenience and simplicity of the cake mix, and I love the taste of them, because...well...I grew up eating cake mix cakes. We only ate made from scratch cakes on a special occasion...so for my "simply sweet" purposes, the cake mix works fine. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
1 White or yellow Cake Mix
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoon coconut extract.
1 can cream of coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tub whipped topping
1 bag flaked coconut

Directions: Mix cake ingredients (mix, oil, water, eggs) as directed on box. Add extracts and continue to mix well. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan, and bake as directed (about 350 degrees for 32-35 minutes).

Let cake cool completely. Mix sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut together in a bowl. Poke holes in top of cake, with fork or spoon handle. Pour mixture over entire cake. (Be sure mixture fills/goes into all holes. Spread whipped topping over cake and top with coconut. Keep cake refrigerated.