Coconut Jelly Bean Cake Recipe * Easter

When I was growing up my mom made us a special treat each year. It was always one of my favorites. It was her White Chocolate Coconut Jelly Bean Candy Easter Nests. I just love how the white chocolate, coconut and the fruity flavors of the jelly beans mixed so well. With this flavor combination in mind I came up with a new Easter tradition our Easter Cake. As I thought about the flavor of the jelly beans Kool-Aid came to me. Kool-Aid comes in many different shades of bright colors, it has similar flavors and some of our favorite jelly beans so it was the perfect solution to both coloring and flavoring each layer of our Easter Cake.

Our Easter Cake has a pink strawberry, yellow pineapple, green lemon lime and blue mixed berry layers. It is frosted with the most delicious coconut white chocolate buttercream frosting. Combining the coconut and the flavors remind me of a colada drink.
This is a great cheery cake for kids.

Cake:

• 2 Box Cake Mixes or 2 batches of White Cake Batter
• 1 packet of Kool-Aid drink mix powder for each color -4 total (the ones without sugar)

Prepare you favorite box white cake mixes or this great from scratch recipe for White Cake ( two batches.)

Divide the cake batter equally into to 4 medium mixing bowls. Slowly add Kool-Aid powder until you reach the desired color and flavor or each color.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

Bake each cake color layer in a 8 or 9 inch round cake pan for about 18-20 minutes check after 18 minutes. Cake will bounce back when done when pressed down in the middle with your finger.

Cool for 5 minutes then remove from pan and completely cool on cooling rack.

Wrap each cake layer in plastic wrap and place in freezer.

White Chocolate Coconut Buttercream Frosting:
Note: You will need two batches for this cake

• 2 pound bag of powdered sugar
• 1/2 milk
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup of melted white baking chocolate

In a stand mixer using the whip attachment whip together melted white chocolate, butter, milk, vanilla and about 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar to incorporate air. This will make your frosting nice and light and fluffy. 

Slowly mix in the remaining powdered sugar then add coconut and whip together. 

This frosting is creamy, delicious and sets up very nicely.

Coconut Nest Topping:

• 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 packet of green lemon lime Kool-Aid powder mix
• 1 bag of your favorite jelly beans
• 1 quart size zip top bag

Add coconut and 1/2 packet of Kool-Aid powder to zip top bag. Mix the coconut and powder together kneading with hands. 

Mound in the center of the top of the cake to form a nest top off with a large handful of jelly beans.

Sweet TIP: To frost the cake and get beautiful layers add your frosting to a quart size zipper top bag. Snip of one corner of the bag about a half inch up.

Starting with the bottom layer squeeze our large dollops of frosting around the cake top. Spread evenly and repeat as you add each layer. Then squeeze out frosting in a zigzag pattern around the side of the cake. Spread over the sides filling in between the zigzag. Don't worry if you zigzag is straight.

The point of this is to get a fairly even amount of frosting around the cake so it is easier to spread and prevent little cake crumbs from mixing into your frosting.

If you have any holes in your frosting just go back and add another dollop of frosting.
This frosting sets up nicely and is very forgiving. Since it is a coconut frosting it doesn't have to be perfectly smooth.

The kids are going to LOVE this cake.

Happy Easter!

xo

P.S. Here is my Periscope video showing me making the green coconut grass.

Thai Cranberry Pom Coconut Rice Recipe * Food & Drink

The holidays are upon us in full force which means sometimes we need to make something special quickly when friends are family are visiting. We joined up with Minute® Rice and came up with this delicious twist on a Thai foods favorite.

With Minute® Rice we cut the prep and cooking time down to make our Cranberry Pomegranate Coconut Rice, a quick and easy impressive treat to serve at the last minute. The mixture of the tangy cranberries and pomegranate with the creaminess of the coconut milk and the hearty texture of the Minute® Jasmine Rice added with a touch of ginger brings the holidays to your taste buds.

The beautiful contrast of the white and red make a lovely holiday presentation on the table. This could easily be a dessert or I would eat it as a delicious breakfast.  It's perfectly tart, sweet and creamy. You can also serve it cold or warm.

Cranberry Pom Coconut Minute® Rice Recipe
Makes 4 servings-easily doubled

• Minute ® White Rice only takes 5 minutes! OR Minute® Ready to Serve Jasmine Rice only takes 60 seconds
• 1 can of whole coconut milk
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
• pinch of salt
• 1 pomegranate 

Prepare Minute® Rice according to the quick and easy directions on package. While Minute® Rice is cooking prepare topping.

In a small heavy bottom sauce pan add cranberries, sugar, water, ginger and salt. Bring to a boil then turn down heat to simmer. Simmer cranberry mixture until the sauce begins to thicken stirring as you go. Remove from heat. Cool cranberry chutney sauce in refrigerator or in freezer to quicken cooling time. Be sure not to leave it in too long.

If serving cold, once rice is cooked cool in a covered container in either the fridge or freezer depending on your time limits. 

Press rice into a half cup measuring up to form the rice in a mound. Place onto serving bowl. Dizzle coconut milk over top.

Top with cranberry chutney sauce and sprinkle with fresh pomegranate seeds. 

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays,

April

For more quick and tasty recipes for the family go to Minute® Rice for over 400 recipe ideas and follow the hashtag #minuteholiday on your social accounts

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Minute® Rice

Food & Drink * Dirty Dr Pepper

The buzz around town is the dirty diet coke but since I am a Dr Pepper drinker not a diet Coke drinker I decide to give the dirty Dr. Pepper a try. It is surprisingly refreshing like a day on a tropical white sandy beach.


Dirty Dr. Pepper

• Can of Dr. Pepper
• 1 lime
• Coconut Syrup
• Ice

Pout 2 tablespoons of coconut syrup into a tall drinking glass. Squeeze in the juice of half a lime. Add ice then pour Dr. Pepper over ice. Swirl the drink to mix. Sip from on straw while relaxing. 

White Chocolate Coconut Easter Nests * Food & Drink

White Chocolate Coconut Easter Birds Nest with jelly bean eggs are a tradition at our house. My mom would make them when I was growing up and I started making them for my kids when their were toddlers. It is a simple recipe. All of the kids will love to help you make them.


White Chocolate Coconut Easter Nests

• 2 cups of shredded sweetened coconut
• 2 cups of white chocolate chips
• 1 bag of your favorite jelly beans
• Green food coloring

In a large microwave bowl melt the white chocolate chips in microwave checking every 20 seconds. Once melted stir a few drops of green food coloring and shredded coconut into the white chocolate. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick vegetable spray. Press scoops of white chocolate mixture into the muffin tin shaping into nests. Right away before chocolate cools press jelly beans into the white chocolate nest for the birds eggs. To remove nest from the muffin tin place the bottom of the pan in warm water and lift out. Enjoy!

by April A. founder & editor-in-chief