Dad’s Olive Oil-Coconut Layered Cake with Pineapple Curd ~#TheCakeSliceBakers

Eating Dad’s Olive Oil-Coconut Layered Cake with Pineapple Curd is like going on a tropical vacation and enjoying a Piña Colada. This cake has soft layers of soft coconut cake, pineapple curd filling, and frosted with coconut cream cheese frosting.

Caramelized Pineapple Tropical Loaf ~ #TheCakeSliceBakers

This Caramelized Pineapple Tropical Loaf cake packs quite the punch of flavor. Caramelizing

the pineapple enhances its sweetness and concentrates the flavor, the rums takes it up a notch, 

and the toasted coconut adds a wonderful nuttiness and a hint of  crunch.

Coconut Cream Cake ~#TheCakeSliceBakers

If you love coconut, then this is the cake for you. Three layers of light, tender, and moist coconut cake,

  covered with creamy coconut buttercream and topped with toasted fresh coconut shavings.

Pina Colada Cake ~ #TheCakeSliceBakers

This little Pina Colada Cakes brings to mind tropical islands and relaxing

in the sun - something we are all hoping to be able to do freely very soon.

Kingston Bundt Cake ~ #Bundt Bakers

"You can be miserable before you have a cookie and you can be miserable after you eat a
cookie but you can't be miserable while you are eating a cookie".
The same can be said for a bundt cake, especially if it tastes like a cookie.

Banana, Coconut and Goji Berry Bread ~ #BreadBakers

Going against the grain with gluten free vibes only this month.

Nanaimo Bars ~ #CreativeCookieExchange

One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do, especially when making cookies.

Morning Glory Bundt Cake with Yogurt & Granola Topping ~ #BundtBakers

"I love breakfast, and I don't see any reason it has to be cereal and eggs and toast." Ruth Reichl.  I totally agree and this Morning Glory Bundt with Yogurt Granola Topping would be the perfect something else.

Midori Splice Bundt Cake ~ #BundtBakers

I remember the joy of eating a Pine Lime Splice popsicle as a kid.  Then I discovered the joy of a Midori Pine Lime Splice cocktail - which has the same flavor profile as the popsicle - as an adult, and fell in love with the flavors all over again. Both are still favorites of mine, and that is why are decided to turn these flavors into a bundt cake for this months #BundtBakers.

Blackberry and Cream Monte Carlos - #CrativeCookieExchange

How do you celebrate the end of summer vacation?  I remember growing up in Australia, and it seeming like summer vacation would go on forever.  Of course being the land Down Under our summer vacation happened around Christmas.  I am looking forward to seeing how all of the members of the #CreativeCookieExchange embrace this theme.

Coconut Apricot Slice ~ #CreativeCookieExchange

Summer is officially here. The #CreativeCookieExchange has the perfect theme this month for those who do not want to turn on the oven - No Bake Cookies!

Lava Flow Bundt Cake - #BundtBakers

Ah, the tropical vacation.  Toes in the sand, beautiful aqua-blue water, tiki drink in hand - perfection. I am extremely lucky to call Hawaii home, so I guess in some ways I am always on a tropical vacation.

Lamington Bites

Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi! Happy Australia Day. Even though I am many miles away I always try to make something that reminds me of the country I grew up in - sausage rolls, fairy bread, butterfly cakes, pavlova - there are just so many great things to choose from. I decided to go back to the classic lamingtons.

Coconut Layer Cake ~ The Cake Slice Bakers April 2014

It is hard to believe that we are at the half-way mark of baking through Great Cakes by Carole Walter. This month the Cake Slice Bakers are making a Coconut Layer Cake, which seems very fitting for Spring.

Pina Colada Mini Cheesecakes

I always look forward to the middle of the month because it means that I get to share another recipe from Lick the Bowl Good, the wonderful cookbook by fellow blogger Monica Holland.  This month we are sharing Pina Colada Mini Cheesecakes - and they are soooooo good.

Lamingtons - Australia Day 2014

Happy Australia Day!  You can take the girl out of Australia, but you can't take the Australian out of the girl, so of course I wanted to celebrate. One of the most iconic Australian cakes is the lamington and that is what I wanted to make.

Iced VoVos ~ #CreativeCookieExchange

I wasn't quite ready for Valentine's Day decorations in the stores the day after Christmas, however I'm definitely ready now which is perfect timing for the #CreativeCookieExchange.  The theme this month is Put On Your Red and Pink for Valentine’s Day!  I guess I took it literally since my cookie has both red and pink.

Peppermint Dark Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons

Would you be surprised if I told you that I have played in the snow here in Hawaii?  And no, it wasn't one of those promotional events planned by a local supermarket, where they fly in a container of snow for the kids to have a snow day.  This is honest to goodness real snow that can require a vehicle to use snow chains. It doesn't snow on the island I live on, but it does snow on the top of Mauna Kea on the Big Island, which is a dormant volcano standing almost 14,000 feet above sea level (and if they measured it from the ocean base it would be 33,100 feet!). We haven't had snow as yet this year, so I decided to make some cookies that look like snowballs.

This idea fitted in perfectly with the theme for the Creative Cookie Exchange this month - Peppermint! I decided to make coconut macaroons, and drizzle them with a dark chocolate that had been flavored with peppermint essence.

Piña Colada Blondies with Toasted Coconut Glaze

A beautiful sunset, toes in the sand and a Piña Colada in your hand. Sounds like paradise doesn't it? Unfortunately it doesn't happen all that often, even though I live in Hawaii.  So I came up with the next best thing - Piña Colada Blondies with Toasted Coconut Glaze.

What is a blondie you may ask?  Well, I used to think that they were supposed to be like brownies without the chocolate, but they really are more cake-like and not dense at all.  There are many recipes for blondies but I loosely based mine on a recipe by Martha Stewart, and then gave it a pineapple and coconut twist.

As the song says, "If you like piña colada's", then you will love these blondies. Well, that is not quite the lyrics but after one bite you will want to change them just like I did. I loved the crushed pineapple in them because it kind of melted into the cake, and the glaze on top is pure coconut goodness. This recipe will make 9 large blondies, and can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Piña Colada Blondies with Toasted Coconut Glaze
(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients
Blondies ~

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cups crushed pineapple, well drained (reserve the liquid)
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 2 tablespoons Malibu® coconut rum or coconut essence 
• ¼ cup pineapple juice (from reserved liquid)

Glaze ~

• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons cream of coconut (I used Coco Lopez)
• 2 tablespoons Malibu® coconut rum or coconut essence
• 1 teaspoon hot water
• ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Preparation
Blondies ~

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang, and butter lining (excluding overhang).
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Add eggs, Malibu, coconut, and pineapple juice, and mix until combined.
6. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mix for 1 minute then stop the mixer and scrape the paddle and sides of the bowl with a spatula.  Continue to mix for another minute, or until well combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan spreading evenly with a spatula.
8. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into blondies comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 40 to 45 minutes.
9. Cool slightly in pan for about 15 minutes, and then lift out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
10. Whilst blondies are cooling toast coconut  - preheat oven to 350℉, place coconut on a tray lined with parchment and put in the oven, stirring every 5 minutes until golden brown - keep an eye on it as it can burn quickly.

Glaze ~

1. Place sifted powdered sugar in a bowl, add cream of coconut, Malibu, and water and stir until smooth.
2. Once blondies are cool, gently spoon glaze over the top allowing it to run over the sides.
3. Sprinkle blondies with toasted coconut and cut into bars.

Recipe by All That's Left Are The Crumbs©

ANZAC Slice

Today, April 25 is ANZAC Day (celebrated yesterday in Australia and NZ because they are a day ahead) .  It is a day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand for those "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served." Courage, Endurance, Mateship, Sacrifice - that is the ANZAC Spirit.

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, not the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."

Lest we forget.

Traditionally, each year I make ANZAC biscuits but this year I thought I would make something a little different.  I remembered seeing a slice (or bar cookie) during my travels on the web, so I went in search of it.  It turns out there are quite a few recipes out there, some very similar and some with some tweaks.  I settled on one from Taste.com.auhttp://www.taste.com.au.  I really like this site, and they also produce my favorite Australian magazine, delicious.


This ANZAC slice tastes a little like an oatmeal cookie, but it has golden syrup and coconut added.  It was a big winner in our household, and the few leftover pieces will store well because there are no eggs in this recipe, which was the original intent of the ANZAC biscuit - families of the soldiers overseas wanted something they could mail via sea to their loved ones that would not spoil easily.

ANZAC Slice
(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 
• 1¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oat
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
• 1 cup shredded coconut (I used desiccated)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons butter, chopped 
• 3 tablespoons golden syrup 
• ½ teaspoon baking soda 
• 2 tablespoons boiling water

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Grease and line an 11x7 pan with baking paper, allowing a 1-inch overhang at long ends. 
3. Combine flour, oats, sugar, salt and coconut in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. 
4. Place butter and syrup in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth. 
5. Combine baking soda and boiling water in a jug. 
6. Remove butter mixture from heat and stir in bicarbonate of soda mixture. 
7. Add to flour mixture and stir to combine. 
8. Transfer to prepared pan. Using the back of a spoon, press mixture evenly into pan (I used my hands). 
9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan. 
10. Once cool cut into squares and enjoy.

Recipe adapted slightly from Taste.com.au