In Search of Birthdays Past

I begin with two apologies to Proust. First, I am sorry for corrupting your book title. Second, this isn’t about madeleines; it’s about cake.

Don't you love this tea towel? Made for me by my talented friend, Lisa!
It was the summer of 1981. I had graduated with my master’s degree in music performance from the Eastman School of Music. To celebrate, I had taken a wonderful road trip around California with my friends Martha and Cliff.

After the tour, we all went back to the East Coast, and to our separate pursuits.

At the end of that summer, I went to a mini reunion with Martha and Cliff to celebrate my late-August birthday. Martha made Sole Véronique for dinner and a beautiful Coconut Cream Cake for dessert - it was my first. It was a cake to remember.

This year, on Martha’s birthday, I sent her a birthday message on Facebook. We chatted back and forth a bit, and I brought up my memory of the cake. She told me it was Cliff’s recipe. I’d had no idea!

The more I thought about this cake, the more I wanted one for my birthday. That spurred me to write Cliff and ask if he would share the recipe.

Although he was happy to do so, he couldn’t find it. He remembered enough to tell me what to do, and sent the directions.

The original recipe has two things you won’t find in my house. 1.) a cake mix, and 2.) Cool Whip. Aside from the fact that making a cake and whipping cream are easy to do, the real issue is that most cake mixes are filled with preservatives, and Cool Whip… well, I don’t even want to think about how that’s made!

Today, I give you my version of Cliff’s cake, using a white cake from scratch (yellow cake works well, too!) and real whipped cream. Thank you Cliff and Martha - for wonderful memories, both past and present.

This cake is not for the faint of heart... it is extremely rich, dense, chewy, and ... fantastic! But, after all, it isn't every day you turn 60...

~ David

Cliff’s Coconut Cream Cake


White Cake (from King Arthur)
2 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour Blend
1 2/3 cups sugar; superfine sugar is best
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs whites (1/2 cup)
1 whole large egg
1 cup full-fat vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract


Filling and Topping
2 cups sour cream
2 cups superfine (baker’s) sugar
16 ounces shredded unsweetened coconut
1 1/4 cups cream


Start by making the cake. Preheat the ovento 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

Mix all of the dry ingredients on slow speed to blend. Add the softened butter and mix until evenly crumbly, like fine damp sand.

Add the egg whites one at a time, then the whole egg, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition.

In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt with the vanilla and almond extracts. Add this mixture, 1/3 at a time, to the batter. Beat 1 to 2 minutes after each addition, until fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Divide the batter between the two prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. A toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean when done. Remove from the oven, cool 10 minutes, then remove from the pan. Let cool fully.

While the cake layers cool, make the filling. Whisk together the sour cream and superfine sugar in a large bowl, then stir in the coconut. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside.

Slice each layer in half horizontally. Spread some of the coconut mixture between each layer; there should be about 2 cups leftover.

Fold the whipped cream into to remaining coconut mixture, and use this to frost the cake. Top with extra shredded coconut, if desired. It is best to make this a day in advance to allow flavors to meld and the coconut to soften. Keep refrigerated.

Serves 12.

Tip: when slicing a cake horizontally, I have found it difficult to remove the top player without breaking it. After slicing, I take the removable bottom from an 11-inch tart pan and slide it between the layers, making removal of the top later intact a breeze!

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