Just Desserts: Coconut Cake

We saw this delicious recipe for easy coconut cupcakes on Serious Eats and wanted to put our own spin on it (and use up some coconut milk in the process). The coconut flavor comes out in all aspects of this cake, from the glaze, to the shredded coconut, to the coconut milk infused cake. 

While the original recipe calls for making your own cake, we opted for a semi-homemade feel and used a boxed cake mix. 

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30-40 mins (depending on which mix and pan you use)

You'll need:

• 1 package of white cake mix
• 1 can of coconut milk (not low-fat or light)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract)
• 1 cup shredded, sweetened, coconut, divided
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) confectioners' sugar

What you'll do:
Make the cake according to the directions, but substituting the liquids for the same amount of coconut milk. For example, the Betty Crocker mix we used called for oil and water. Instead, we used the same amount of coconut milk. 

Bake according to the box directions.

When the cake is cooled, you can start on the glaze. If you start too early, the glaze hardens. 

Mix the confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons of coconut milk until smooth. Add additional milk to get the right glaze thickness to your liking. If you're feeling wild, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for extra flavor. 

Sprinkle the shredded coconut over the glaze and serve.